


Ōtsutsuki Legacy

by Arthuria_PenDragon



Series: The Path of Ninshū [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Acting, Action/Adventure, Adorable Gaara (Naruto), Aliases, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Atonement - Freeform, Attempt at Worldbuilding, BAMF Uchiha Sasuke, BAMF Uzumaki Naruto, Best Friends, Big Brother Uchiha Sasuke, Bingo book, Blood Pacts, Bloodline Uzumaki Naruto, Bonding, Bonds, Bonds Beyond Time, Bonds: Naruto Shippuden the Movie, Brotherhood, Brothers, Byakugō no In | Yin Seal | Strenght of a Hundred Seal, Canon Related, Canon Rewrite, Canon-Typical Violence, Chakra, Chakra Chains, Chakra Theory, Chakra control, Child Soldiers, Children of Prophecy, Cliffhangers, Codependency, Confused Hatake Kakashi, Confused Yamato | Tenzou, Deception, Demonic Possession, Dreams, Dreamsharing, Elemental Manipulation, Emotional, Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, F/M, Families of Choice, Family Feud - Freeform, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Fix-It of Sorts, Flashbacks, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fūinjutsu Master Uzumaki Naruto, Fūinjutsu | Sealing Techniques, Gaara Needs a Hug (Naruto), Good Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama, Good Uchiha Sasuke, Grudges, Guilt, Hatake Kakashi Is Trying, Hatake Kakashi is a Good Teacher, Herbal tea, I Guess? It is Family Fluff... maybe, Indra and Asura are good brothers, Jinchuuriki as family, Kekkei Genkai | Bloodline Limit, Kenjutsu Master Uchiha Sasuke, Konohagakure | Hidden Leaf Village, Light crack, Little Brothers, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Made up Chakra Theory rambling, Mangekyou Sharingan, Medic Uzumaki Naruto, Mental Maturity, Minor Character Death, Mokuton, Mokuton Uzumaki Naruto, Naruto & Sasuke-centric, Naruto-Sasuke Tag Team, Negative Emotion Sense, Ninja, Ninshu, Not Canon Compliant, Not manga canon compliant, Oaths & Vows, Omake, Overpowered Uchiha Sasuke, Overpowered Uzumaki Naruto, Overprotective, POV Hatake Kakashi, POV Multiple, POV Third Person, POV Uchiha Sasuke, POV Uzumaki Naruto, Panic Attacks, Past Lives, Peace, Pets, Plants, Plants & Herbs, Prophecy, Protective Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama, Protective Uchiha Sasuke, READ NOTES, Reconciliation, Recovered Memories, Reincarnation, Repentance, Saving the World, Secret Identity, Secret Techniques, Self-Indulgent, Senju Clan (Naruto), Sensor Naruto, Sensor Uchiha Sasuke, Serious, Sharingan, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Rivalry, Smart Uzumaki Naruto, Social Outcast, Summoning contracts, Swearing, Tag Team, Tea, Teaching, Team 13, Teamwork, Telepathic Bond, Telepathy, The Author Regrets Nothing, Transmigration, Uchiha Clan (Naruto), Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto Brotherhood, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto Friendship, Uchiha Sasuke Being a Good Brother, Uchiha Sasuke has wolf summons, Uchiha Sasuke-centric, Understanding, Uzumaki Clan (Naruto), Uzumaki Naruto has deer summons, Uzumaki Naruto-centric, War, breaking the cycle, but also Angst and Fluff and Humor, evetually, formal speech, friends/family, references to Japanese mythology & folklore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:07:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 63
Words: 234,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25977934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arthuria_PenDragon/pseuds/Arthuria_PenDragon
Summary: Indra and Asura, the two sons of the Sage, whose feud brought on the war of Uchiha and Senju. The brothers, who could not let go of their ideals, even after death. Fighting, reincarnation and bloodshed - a vicious cycle, which continoues trough the ages.But, amongst the bloodiest of circumstances, the most recent incarnates gain the memories of their past lives. Unwilling to fight and seeking repentance, they swear to break the cycle forever and bring peace.But nothing is ever easy, in the world of shinobi...AKA, Naruto and Sasuke remember their past lives, and the current generations are unsure how to deal with this new and unexpected twistHiatus due to writer block, but I´m NOT abandoning this
Relationships: Bijuu | Tailed Beasts & Ootsutsuki Asura & Ootsutsuki Indra, Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi & Yamato | Tenzou, Hatake Kakashi & Yamato | Tenzou & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Karui/Uchiha Sasuke, Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama & Uzumaki Naruto, Namikaze Minato & Uchiha Sasuke, Namikaze Minato & Uzumaki Naruto, Namikaze Minato/Uzumaki Kushina, Ootsutsuki Asura & Ootsutsuki Hagoromo & Ootsutsuki Indra, Ootsutsuki Asura & Ootsutsuki Hamura & Ootsutsuki Indra, Ootsutsuki Asura & Ootsutsuki Indra, Ootsutsuki Asura & Ootsutsuki Indra & Shiro (Naruto), Ootsutsuki Asura & Ootsutsuki Indra & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Ootsutsuki Asura & Uzumaki Naruto, Ootsutsuki Hagoromo & Ootsutsuki Hamura & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Ootsutsuki Hagoromo & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Ootsutsuki Indra & Uchiha Sasuke, Senju Hashirama & Senju Tobirama & Namikaze Minato, Senju Hashirama & Senju Tobirama & Uzumaki Naruto, Senju Tsunade & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Senju Tsunade & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Fugaku/Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto & Jinchuuriki (Naruto), Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto & Shiro (Naruto), Uzumaki Karin/Uzumaki Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto & Yamato | Tenzou
Series: The Path of Ninshū [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985195
Comments: 1454
Kudos: 1557
Collections: 141271, Foxy fox 🦊, Losing Sleep Over, Magnificent Fanfictions, Reincarnation and Transmigration, Team 7 🌀, why im sleep deprived 💖✨, wwwwwww





	1. Cover

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Ninshū: The Way of Peace](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/669256) by Envoy of the White Moon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The pictures are not mine, I just edited them into this cover.


	2. The History of It All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDITED 12/09/2020  
> Thank you for my wonderful Beta, ArtemisVic, for her hard work! <3

Long ago in a time forgotten by the people of earth, was an era of long lasting rage and unending wars. The people fought each other, for even the pettiest of reasons. Some of them simply sought to gain more power through bloodshed, others simply fought for the sake of fighting.

Humanity had a curse – a sickening and infectious curse so great that in time even the other creatures were caught in it and soon, the earth was slowly being choked to death by the curse of the humans. This curse was named hatred. A powerful force that could drive any person from the innocent bystander to a rage-fuelled killer who would hunt down those who wronged them, inflicting more pain and brutality, effectively spreading the curse to others.

It was like a vicious cycle, a chain of hurt. The more one fought, the more blood spilled, the more hatred spread among the humans. Not even the new generations of the world were safe from it, as parents taught their children to hate, at the same time as they taught those children to walk.

One day, however, a princess came from a faraway land. This princess sought the Shinju, to harvest its fruit and take it to her family. This princess was Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. Originally she had sought the plant to take the fruit and destroy the world. Yet as time went by, she became attached to the humans, as a few had treated her with kindness. The people gave her home, despite being an outsider – they treated her, like one of their own. She had even found love.

However, war and hatred still thrived and she despised the idea. She now wished for peace – she wished to protect those whom she had come to care for. So, she sought power to break the chain which was hatred. She ate the fruit of the Shinju gaining power beyond human comprehension.

Using this great power, she ended the bloodshed and pain. For the first time since the dawn of this world humanity knew peace. Like the Shinju, Kaguya was also worshipped as a living god on earth. People bowed before her in respect and reverence for her power and divine will, that which many considered to have no equal.

Later on, she gave birth to two sons, who were both born with a part of her great power.

At one point in her reign however, Kaguya herself fell to the curse of hatred. She enslaved the people she once cared for and protected, driving fear into many peaceful hearts. From that day forward, behind her back, people called her a demon. She became so greedy, that she even wished to end the life of her own two sons, to gain back the chakra, the power, which they’d 'stolen' from her. In her great rage, Kaguya became one with the Shinju plant, giving life to a great beast – the Jūbi.

The beast was so great, that a swipe of a single tail could level nations and mountains within a blink. The beast, which had once been caring to Princess Kaguya, now had no compassion left for her or anything else. The Jūbi merely wished to destroy everything and to get hold of all the chakra in the world.

The two sons of Kaguya, Hagoromo and Hamura, fought against the Jūbi in a great battle that reshaped the world and they sealed it. Its power was sealed within Hagoromo and the empty husk of the beast was locked far away, creating the moon. Hamura and a few of the brothers’ clansmen left the world to guard the seal for the Jūbi.

Hagoromo remained with the humans and decided to guide them, for unlike his mother, he had not lost faith in the good of humanity. He taught people to use chakra for connecting, healing and spreading good – these teachings were Ninshū. For his efforts against the beast and for bringing the teachings of love and understanding, the people gave Hagoromo the moniker of Rikudō Sennin and some even called him a god.

After some time, Hagoromo would split the chakra of the Jūbi in nine equal parts, giving them consciousness and names. And so, the nine Bijū were born.

With time, Hagoromo would have his own children – two sons, who would inherit parts of his power.

The older, whom he named Indra would inherit the Yin part of his power and gain a lesser form of his grandmother’s eyes – these eyes would later be known as the Sharingan. The younger son, Asura would inherit the Yang part of his father’s chakra, which gave him a powerful body and strong life force.

The two brothers had grown up close, learning Ninshū from their father. However, the difference in their skills were extreme. Indra was hailed as a natural prodigy – even by the high Ōtsutsuki standards and many of the Sage’s followers believed that he would inherit.

At the same time, Indra led a solitary life. He cherished his family – his brother was his greatest treasure and anyone who dared say otherwise would face a very pissed off Ōtsutsuki Indra, and if they managed to survive the prodigy’s anger they were never seen near the family again. Because of Indra's solitary nature, yet still cherishing his family, he preferred to work alone. He believed that others would hinder his progress.

Asura, on the other hand, was a prankster and prefered to spend time with his friends as well as his non-human siblings. He liked to connect with people, rather than study. Yet given time, Asura unlocked his own powers manifesting the ability, which would later be dubbed Mokuton. As he gradually came into his powers, with the help of his friends, he gained skill and power to match Indra.

As Hagoromo realised that his time was getting shorter and shorter, he gave a task for his sons to complete. The result of the task would determine, which of them would be the Heir to the Ninshū. Indra, who had always believed he would inherit without question, as the older, had been quite displeased. Yet, he still respected his father's choices, so he accepted the task with the grace that was expected of him, confident in his ability to complete it and prove his father he was a worthy Heir.

So the two brothers had left on their separate journeys to complete their given task. As expected, Indra was faster and had made it back sooner. Upon arriving and giving his account of the ongoings to his father Indra expected to be declared the Heir. However, Hagoromo insisted on waiting for Asura to return. A few days later Asura arrived home as well, followed by a few people, who had become his close companions during his journey. After Asura told of his own experiences while away, Hagoromo asked for some time to properly decide.

The next day, the Sennin –to the shock of everyone gathered, his sons included, – declared Asura his Heir. Indra, in a fit of rage, stormed away. Asura wished to follow him, but Hagoromo had forbidden it, asking his younger son to let Indra think on his own for a while. Saddened and unsure of the reasonability, Asura complied with his father's wishes

However, leaving Indra on his own was a poor decision by both Hagoromo and Asura.

Indra retreated to the forest to train, trying to release all his pent up anger and disappointment. However, that was the time when Black Zetsu approached the older son. Zetsu spoke to Indra, even though what his words were are unknown. What is known is that Zetsu’s words had turned Indra’s anger to hatred. Hatred felt for his once-beloved and cherished brother.

So Indra left his family behind, only followed by a few of those who still believed in him. As time passed, Indra gained more power and understanding of such powers. What Indra had gained about his powers, had in the end proved quite deadly to his few allies. Set in his course to beat Asura and gain the mantle of Heir, Indra killed his followers gaining a new and improved Sharingan.

The Sennin trusted all his teachings to Asura on his deathbed. With his father dead and only his Bijū siblings remaining by his side, Asura continued to teach Ninshū to people. However, he didn’t give up hope to see his brother again. To have him back by his side, kind and caring as he used to be.

Over the years, the brothers crossed paths several times. Each one of their clashes mightier and deadlier than the last – one wished to kill his brother while the other just wished to end this fight and see his family whole again. Asura even gained the help of their Bijū siblings – despite some of them being skeptical about Indra’s nature – and so, he fought his brother to a draw several times.

Their last battle, decades after that fateful day when Asura was declared Heir, was the longest and bloodiest one. It claimed the life of both brothers and sparked hate of such a scale between their families, hate that had not been seen since long ago.

Asura’s family (and followers) became the Senju Clan –and later, through distant ties, the Uzumaki Clan–, who held their forefather’s ideals of peace through understanding. An ideal, which would be dubbed the _Hi no Ishi_ , thousand of years later.

Indra’s family and followers formed the Uchiha Clan, who held the elder’s belief of peace through power. His beliefs would spark the _Nikushimi no Noroi_ , which spread through the Uchiha like wildfire.

However, something occurred that had not been seen before in the world. Something that not even Hagoromo or Kaguya had foreseen. When the two brothers died their natural chakra remained, even after their bodies were destroyed. This caused the two brothers to reincarnate themselves into various individuals within their descendants throughout history, fuelling and continuing the bloody feud between their clans. (As time went by, the Uchiha and Senju forgot the meaning and cause of their fight, they ended up simply fighting for the sake of fighting.)

And like a cycle of seasons, life, death and rebirth would come again and again. And with each reincarnation, the transmigrants would grow stronger. Each and every pair of transmigrants were called the gods of their time.

One such pair of gods were Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara. The two legendary shinobi would befriend each other, as children and dream of peace. Of a time and place, where people didn’t need to fight wars for survival. It would take decades, but their dream would come true. For the two Clan Heads would sign a pact, ceasing the war and for the first time since Indra left his family behind, the clans were at peace. The transmigrants stood side by side.

Hagoromo himself, who while dead, remained watching the world, allowed himself to hope. The pain and bloodshed brought by his descendants had caused him great pain, but upon seeing Hashirama and Madara, he hoped for a better world to come. A world he had failed to create.

The two clans would go to form the first shinobi village in Hi no Kuni. A village, which would be a symbol of hope and peace, named Konohagakure no Sato by Madara. Hashirama would marry Uzumaki Mito, to gain the might and support of her clan and the three ancient clans would lay the milestones of revolution.

In time, Hashirama was elected the first leader of Konoha – a decision even Madara himself supported. Hashirama’s tenure as Hokage was one of prosperity and peace.

However, the idyllic peace was shattered, when Hashirama declared his younger brother, Tobirama to be the next Hokage. Displeased by the choice and saying he would not follow the killer of his beloved younger brother, Madara left.

Hashirama went after him, trying to make him see sense. Like a time so long ago, the time of their forefathers, Hashirama chased after Madara wishing for him to be by his side. However, his hope was not to be. The two fought and fought, reshaping the very land. Madara, to ensure his victory, even enslaved the mighty Kyūbi no Kitsune. Still, Hashirama reigned victorious with the help of his wife. Who, to save her husband from death, sealed the Kyūbi within herself, thus becoming the first-ever _Jinchūriki_.

The place of their last battle, which would claim Madara’s life, would later be called the _Shūmatsu no Tani_. It would be that time, when Indra’s chakra would leave Madara, floating in the world, watching the clans and his brother’s transmigrant.

Upon Hashirama and Mito’s return to the village, the Bijū would be claimed too dangerous to roam free by Tobirama and Mito. The other eight would be captured and sealed as well and they would be distributed to the other villages, as a sign of peace. Despite Hashirama’s efforts, a war would break out, which history would remember as the First Shinobi War. It would be on that battlefield, where Hashirama would die, by taking a blow to the back to protect his brother.

With that, Asura’s chakra would be free once more and the two brothers would remain watching, as the world flew by. (Watching with no small amount of horror – even Indra – as Madara’s plan took shape. A plan, which the ancient Uchiha would call Project _Tsuki no Me_.)

And it is where the cycle starts again, for the new transmigrants are soon to be born.

* * *

It would be a fateful night – the last day of the Yondaime Hokage’s tenure, as he would die on the battlefield with his wife – that the cycle of reincarnation would be complete once more.

Asura would watch, as the masked Uchiha controlled his eldest Bijū sibling, trying to destroy the village that one of his descendants and transmigrants had built from nothing. He would sense that the child about to be his fox sibling’s host, was his own transmigrant.

A child with both Uzumaki and Senju blood in his veins. (Admittedly, the second was unknown. The father, who had the Senju blood, was unaware of his heritage, having grown up in an orphanage, due to the war, he had ended.)

Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto. That was the child’s name. (Or more like Senju-Uzumaki Naruto, but that was a question of preference. When the time was right, the child himself would decide which variation of his name he wanted to use.)

Indra had already joined the world of living, attaching his chakra to a child by the name of Uchiha Sasuke. He had watched, with a bit of curiosity, as his brother’s chakra sunk in with the child. Harmonising with the child.

Asura himself felt the pull of another complete transmigration. He could just see his fox brother raging at his descendants for sealing him again. He watched helplessly, as Kurama tried bisecting his infant transmigrant – _No, no! Kurama don’t you **dare**!–_ but of course, without a physical body he was not heard and so,could do nothing.

Both parents jumped in front of the sealing altar, using their very bodies to shield their son, stopping Kurama’s claw inches away from its target. He listened to the parents’ last words –Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato, if he was correct,– his heart breaking. The child would never know the clans’ ways, would never know his parent's love. However, before he could ponder too much on it his senses ceased existing.

Roughly ten minutes after the seal closed around the Fox, the Sandaime would find the wailing Naruto with his dead parents, the altar’s candles snuffed out and vines and leaves cradling the whole thing, as if it had grown out of the very ground.

However, it would be something the Sandaime would brush off and he wouldn’t even remember it for a very long time...


	3. The First and "the Last" (part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDITED 17/09/2020  
> ArtemisVic thank you again for your help and hard work :)

**Act I: _IT BEGINS_**

Konoha was loud with the music and cheers of celebration. Today was a day of mourning and celebration at the same time.

Six years ago on this very day – October 10 – the Kyūbi had attacked the village, claiming the life of innocents and shinobi alike. However, it was also the day, when the village’s beloved Yondaime Hokage had given his life to stop the beast from destroying their home.

In the memory of that night, every year there would be a memorial to remember the heroes, who gave their life to stall the fox and after the memorial, there would be a great celebration, to remember, that despite everything, Konoha still stood strong.

However, not everyone was enjoying the festivities. A young boy sat alone in his apartment hoping the villagers would leave him alone. This young boy was none other than Uzumaki Naruto, the village’s pariah.

Today was his birthday –he was six now– yet unlike other children, he didn’t enjoy his birthday. Only a very few amount of people ever wished him anything good on this day – those few were the Hokage and the ANBU, who would drop by if they had the chance. Only those precious people ever bothered to give him gifts.

The reason he sat here alone? Last year he had gone out to enjoy the festival and a group of drunk civilians beat him. The ANBU had interfered and he was taken to hospital – luckily it was nothing serious,– but it was a night he would forever remember. So, to avoid such incidents, this year he decided to stay inside.

He was alone now, curled on his old bed. “Happy birthday to me.” the little blonde muttered sadly.

Sometimes, on days like this, he wondered if his parents had ever loved him. Last year, Hokage-jiji had finally told him that no, he wasn’t abandoned, it was just that his parents had died in the Fox’s attack. Yet, it didn’t ease Naruto’s young mind. If his parents were alive, would they have loved him or would they have given him those horrible mean looks that others did?

Suddenly he was jolted from his depressing thoughts when he heard a commotion outside. For a moment, fear spiked in his heart – the last time he’d heard so many people near him, he had ended up in the hospital. The blonde hurriedly scrambled from his bed and tried to leave through the window, as he’d seen the adults do, but it was no use.

Soon the door to his home was broken down and the mob of angry people poured in like a raging river. They shouted things like ‘bakemono‘ and ‘get the kitsune‘. Naruto tried backing away and running from them, but sadly it was no use.

“Please...“ he whispered, as a man with dirty blonde hair and grey eyes approached him. “Please, leave me alone. I didn’t do anything.”

The man’s grey eyes narrowed on him and he sneered. “Didn’t do anything did you demon? You just killed our families and friends! Yondaime-sama should have killed you!” The man kicked him hard and Naruto fell to the floor with a cry.

He curled into a ball as the hits and kicks came again and again, always from a different angle. He whimpered softly at every new wave of pain. At first, he tried asking them to leave him, but every time he spoke, the blows were harder, so he quickly fell quiet.

Eventually the shock and pain was too much for him and he fell unconscious.

* * *

When Naruto opened his eyes he felt no pain. However, he woke to a completely unfamiliar and blank environment –quite literally. Everything around him was plain white. It was warm and serene, yet it also set him on edge, as he had no idea how he had ended up here. He didn’t even know where here was.

He turned around to look around, but he still saw nothing, but white. He was starting to panic now. “Hello? Anyone here? Where am I?!”

“Fear not, child. I have brought you here. It was the fastest way for me to spare you the pain.” a kind male voice called. Naruto whirled around, following it. Just a few steps away from him, stood a young man he’d never seen before.

The stranger had dark brown eyes and short, spiky brown hair — two locks of which were wrapped in bandages framing either side of his face and his forehead was also wrapped in white cloth. He wore a light-coloured kimono with magatama around the collar. The kimono was held closed by a dark-coloured sash. Underneath, he wore a black full-body suit.

“Who… who are you? And where are we?”

The man smiled kindly at him. “My name is Ōtsutsuki Asura. And we are in between the worlds. Between the real living world and between the world of the dead and spirits.”

Naruto’s violet eyes widened with fear. “Am I dead?” he whispered softly, fear lacing his tone. “Am I dead, without jiji telling me who my parents were?”

“We are _between_ the worlds, Naruto. You are _not_ dead.“ Asura repeated in an equally soft manner, yet still sternly. He placed a hand on the blonde’s head.

The child, shocked at the touch – and at the fact that this complete stranger knew his name,– looked up at the older man with blinking eyes. However, even before he could speak, there was a flash of light and warmness flooded his body.

He fell to the floor – or at least, fell down onto the surface, which would have been the floor in the real world– and passed out again.

Colours, sounds and flashes went through his mind. The memories and knowledge of a completely different time and life integrated themselves into his very being, in a way that had never happened before to any other transmigrant.

From that day forwards, Ōtsutsuki Asura and Namikaze (Senju)-Uzumaki Naruto were one and the same.

* * *

Naruto slowly fluttered his eyes open, to stare at white ceiling again. However, he noted idly that it was a different white than what he had seen before. His eyes were attacked by bright light, so he quickly shut them again, while his nose was filled with a sharp and clean smell. It made him uncomfortable.

He braced himself and opened his eyes once more, shifting a bit on the bed. “I see you’re awake, Naruto-kun.” an elderly voice called.

The blonde froze, needing a second to process it. Two names sprang forth in his mind at once and settled next to one another, in complete balance. The child took a deep breath to settle the fact within his own mind. He was Asura and he was Naruto. Both at once.

He shifted his gaze to find the Hokage sitting next to his bed, the lines of worry prominent on his face. “How are you feeling?”

Awful, he wanted to say. Having your mind ripped in two then put back together, accommodating two different lives’ memories was not fun. It was like Shukaku had jumped on him – the tanuki had always been unmindful of the difference in size, when he wanted to express his affections.

Instead, he spoke different words. “Fine, I guess. My head hurts and I’m sleepy.” he answered. And it was partly true. He was sleepy and his head hurt. It was just a little bit worse than he let on.

He was also confused. Where was Indra? If he remembered then Indra – or at least, his current incarnation,– should as well. His eyes darted around the room searching and he gently stretched his sensory too. It was strange. It hurt in a way and it was slower, then it had been in his previous life. But then again, sensory was like another limb and it could get cramped, if not used for a long time.

If his brother remembered, then how was he still laying calmly in his bed? Knowing Indra and his temper –as well as his annoying ability to hold grudges,– he should be already here, preparing his favourite short-range attack, _Raibari_ (Lightning Needles).

“Hm, the doctor said you should heal in a few days. There are just small bruises and a bit of chakra exhaustion. Which reminds me... how have you unlocked your chakra, Naruto-kun?”

Naruto blinked at the old man, confused for a moment. And then... _‘Oh, no! When I gained my memories, I also unlocked my chakra! By the Shinju! I hope I had not used any attack subconsciously...‘_

He shook his head, feigning confusion. When your pastime was pranking and one of your siblings was a kitsune, you learned a trick or two. “I don’t know.”

The old man studied him for a moment and then hummed. “Well, I hope you get better soon. You can leave in a few days and the ANBU will escort you home, then.”

Naruto smiled, relieved. “Thank you.”

* * *

When a few days later, the ANBU dropped him off at home, he smiled at them gratefully. (It grated at him, that people thought of his non-human siblings, as monsters and it also hurt, that because having Kurama sealed inside of him, people feared and hated him.)

He had tried talking to Kurama about the situation, but the fox had been strangely blunt – _angry_ even. He had said, that it was the fault of two of his descendants/ancestors. One Uzumaki and one Senju, but it was also due to an Uchiha. Namely he ended up sealed in an Uzumaki woman because the aforementioned Senju and Uchiha fought, continuing the cycle of hatred the clans lived in, since his and Indra’s death for the first time. (He also absently noted that Kurama pointedly refused to say names.)

Naruto shook his head and waved at the masked shinobi. “Arigato, Inu-san, Tora-san. It was nice of you to show me a way here, which others use less.”

“You’re welcome, Naruto.“ Inu spoke quietly, ruffling his hair. He leaned into it a bit, not even realising how touch-starved he was, until the man touched him. “For now, an entire squad will stay and then, for the next week or so, there will always be one of us near you, so you will just have to call for us. Alright?”

He beamed at the man and studied him curiously. The man’s chakra was nothing like Indra’s and he had silver hair. From what Naruto could tell, he wasn’t an Uchiha, yet he had a fully mature Sharingan. (In only one eye, but it was a Sharingan nonetheless. It made him curious. Who was this ANBU?)

He noded. “Hai. Arigato, Inu-san.”

“Any time, Naruto.” the man said with a chuckle, before disappearing.

Naruto stood in his spot for a second, stretching his senses to follow the kind stranger. He was in the shadows, perfectly part of them, like a true shinobi. He also sensed three others and strangely enough, one of them had a touch of his own chakra to the signature. Naruto blinked in that agent’s direction, thoughtful for a while. Was that stranger one of his own kin, as perhaps Inu was Indra’s? (On a side note, he didn’t feel anyone in the village, who came even remotely close to his chakra. No Senju or Uzumaki anywhere, save for the one in the shadows. Where were his kin? Why was he alone? Surely, he’d taught his children well enough, to instill loyalty and care for family...)

* * *

Meanwhile, Tenzo had a hard time remaining still, pressed against the apartment wall, as the blonde turned to him. The child could not see him, but Tenzo could see Naruto and the sharp, narrowed violet eyes made him uncomfortable for some reason. And the fact that the kid was subconsciously releasing a mix of KI and chakra, didn’t help either. It wasn’t a big amount, compared to what he felt from A-rank shinobi, but for a six year old, it was an impressive feat, for sure. Not to mention, that he had unlocked it without any previous training. It was most likely jump-started by the emotional and physical trauma, but it was a very rare thing to happen. So far, Tenzo only knew of one similar situation where a child faced, with great trauma, unlocked his chakra without any prior training.

 _‘Holy crap! The kid surely has dense chakra! And it doesn’t feel malicious at all, so it’s surely his and not the Fox’s. If so, he’s going to be one hell of a shinobi!‘_ Tenzo thought.

He feared for the Nations, if this kid was ever properly trained. That amount and density was devastating in itself (and it would only grow with time) – the kid could be a powerhouse. Add the fact that he was a Jinchūriki and the kid would be a walking juggernaut by twenty...

“Note to self,” Tenzo muttered under his breath, “Stay on the kid’s good side.”


	4. The First and "the Last" (part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter edited on 25-26/09/20  
> Thank you ArtemisVic! :)

Uchiha Sasuke’s life was content – perfect, in a way only an innocent child’s could be. A child, who had a loving family and always had kin nearby to greet him, or offer him advice. However, he also noticed that the oddest of things would give him a feeling of familiarity, a sense of something missing.

It started randomly one day, when he was six. The feeling would come without warning and would leave him disoriented for several minutes.

Like the time, when he saw his aunt practice fire jutsu. It was as if something within him whispered, that he knew, or _should know_ how it worked.

Like when he saw his father’s Sharingan.

Or when he first saw Shisui’s eyes. It had a different pattern, than what he knew the Sharingan to be. When he asked his cousin, Shisui said it was the Mangekyō Sharingan. Stronger than the standard, three-tomoe version, but getting these eyes (as well as using them) was hard and not worth it, as his cousin said. Sasuke didn’t really understand what he meant by _that_.

And then, when he was seven, someone mentioned something about death and killing with jutsu and the odd feeling was back, in a bad way. As if what he had overheard should not have happened.

When he entered the Academy, Sasuke didn’t have many friends. In fact, he didn’t have any. It was just not his sort of thing. He felt more at ease on his own, in a way. He missed the company of others, but he was fine on his own too. It was like he missed certain people, not people in general.

At first, he thought he missed his mother and Itachi (no, not his father – his father was so busy, that his absence was normal and even when he was around, he paid little attention to Sasuke). It grated at Sasuke in an odd sort of way, but at the same time, he realised that he didn’t mind being left out. His father was a demanding man, that much Sasuke understood and for now, he was left to his own devices, to enjoy his childhood.

And then, when he met that boy, the feeling of missing something disappeared, replaced by something else. Familiarity. It was something Sasuke didn’t understand. He had never met the violet-eyed blonde before.

After that first time, when he noticed the blonde on his own by the swings, he always felt it. The searing violet eyes following his every move. Then, during the spars, he was sorted to fight the blonde and that was the first time he heard his name.

_Uzumaki Naruto._

He fought well and unlike any other. The style Naruto used was strange, yet he felt he should know it. As time passed, he took notice of the small things.

No one ever played with Naruto. He was always alone. The parents glared at him and would whisper to their children, when they thought no one would hear ‘see that blonde? Don’t play with him. He’s trouble‘. He noticed how the teachers ignored Naruto. There were times, when Naruto would raise his hand, give a correct answer (just once in a while), but it would be ignored and the next minute, when another kid would give the same answer, the teacher would praise them.

When the teachers instructed them to unlock their chakra, Naruto told Iruka-sensei his chakra was already unlocked. Sasuke watched with confused curiosity, as fear flashed through the man’s face. His voice even wavered a bit, when he told Naruto to demonstrate. (Sasuke had an odd feeling, that the man wanted to ridicule Naruto.)

But then, Naruto’s chakra flared in a tiny flame and Sasuke found himself relaxing. There was something familiar about the energy. It was warm, dense and calming, reaching out to cover him, like a blanket. Once his moment of bliss passed, Sasuke saw Iruka-sensei glare – but there was fear in his eyes, too– and he waved Naruto out of class, saying he had no place there that day, if his chakra was already in use.

Naruto frowned at Iruka-sensei, sad and angry at once, but politely bid farewell and left. When they went back into the classroom, Sauske noted that Naruto’s small, ragged backpack was gone. As he set down, the sensei announced the material for the rest of the class and Sasuke realised Naruto would not know what it was. He took notes extra carefully, for the rest of the day.

The next morning, he found Naruto by the swing alone and pressed the previous days notes into the Uzumaki’s hands. “Copy them, or else you’ll fail the next exam.” he muttered, unsure what had prompted him to give the notes to the other.

Naruto looked at him with surprise and then his eyes glinted. Naruto thanked him and his grin was as blinding, as the sun.

That grin... that grin was familiar to Sasuke. It was as if he’d already seen it a thousand times, but he could not pinpoint when or where.

He noticed that the Academy sabotaged Naruto. (They couldn’t mess up his practical scores in the field, but whenever it was something written, Naruto always scored last, which Sasuke found odd. You couldn’t have good scores on the practicals, if you didn’t know the theory. It was something both his mother and Itachi warned him about several times.)

Then, he noticed that Naruto often sat through the long break without eating. He never had a bento.

So, one night, he asked his parents about Naruto and why people seemed to treat him badly. His parents shared a look –and Sasuke swore, that for the first time, he saw that his father was sad.

“People are prejudiced.“ his father explained. “They don’t like things that are different from normal.”

“Different?“ he asked.

“Naruto-kun is an orphan, Otōto.“ Itachi said softly. “He does not have a Clan or parents. His parents died when he was young.”

Oh. _Oh_ –that was _bad_. So that was why Naruto never had a bento. Because he didn’t have a mother to prepare one for him. (A different part of his mind would question why others would dislike Naruto for being an orphan. It wasn’t his fault, after all. Sasuke was sure, Naruto would have liked to have a family, too.)

So after dinner, when he climbed into bed and his mother tucked him in, Sasuke asked her, if she could prepare a bento for Naruto, which he could give the blonde. His mother had been surprised –and for a moment, Sasuke saw the same fear in her eyes, he had seen in his sensei’s,– before she smiled and agreed.

The next day, when he gave the second bento to Naruto, the Uzumaki lit up like the sun and hugged him. (That was strange and Sauske needed all his self-control not to shove the whiskered face into the fresh food.)

It was an odd thing between the two of them.

They didn’t speak or spend time with each other, outside of class. But Naruto’s eyes would follow him, as if he was expecting something –he had no idea, what – from him. Sasuke would give Naruto the material they needed for the tests, if the teachers sent him out of class in suspicious circumstances. Bringing an extra bento and dropping it at the blonde’s usual eating spot had also become a habit. They never ate together, but Naruto’s grateful grins and nods would be constant.

And whenever they sparred... well, it was strange. Naruto’s written scores were so bad, that they were nearly non-existent, but he was the only one in class, who could challenge Sasuke in a spar. (By kami! The blonde had even corrected him a few times, subtly, which he had only realised after Shisui or Itachi had pointed it out, during their rare times together.)

Other parents and children kept away from Naruto. His parents never told him to stay away from the blonde. In fact, they encouraged him to befriend him (well, his mother did).

So, his days in the Academy had become a content routine, good enough for him to ignore the constant nagging in the back of his mind, that he should know something, should do something, should be with someone else...

Then, out of the blue, his perfect life was shattered to a million, bloody pieces...

* * *

Sasuke’s legs shook, as he saw the bodies littering the dark streets of the Uchiha District. The air was heavy with the smell of blood and the red liquid was everywhere. Tainting the walls, the stalls, the ground...

Sasuke shivered. What had happened here, where were...

_... his parents!_

He broke into a run and sped past the motionless bodies, there was Uncle Kaito... that was Rei-san... He turned his gaze away, afraid of how many other familiar faces he would see. When he finally reached their house, Sasuke almost tore up the tatami door, in desperation.

“Otō-san? Okā-san? _Tadaima!_ ” he called, as he walked into the house, without taking off his shoes.

He froze in shock, when he found the lifeless bodies of his parents on the floor of the sitting room, blood pooling beneath both. His parents were dead. The shadows shifted and Sasuke looked up, as his older brother melted out of the darkness.

“Otōto.“ Itachi greeted. His tone was dead... cold. As cold and dead, as the bodies of their parents.

Sasuke’s eyes flickered over his brother. He was dressed in his ANBU armour, his tantō was dripping blood and his eyes... his eyes were like a three-bladed shuriken. Sasuke knew those eyes – Mangekyō Sharingan.

“W- Itachi, what happened?“ he whispered, shock and fear taking hold of his whole body.

“I killed them.” Itachi said in a low tone, “I killed every single one of them.”

No. _No._ No! That couldn’t be! Why would... Blood rushed in his ears and he fell onto his knees, as he looked up at his bro– at the man, who had once been his brother.

“Why?” he choked out. Itachi’s eyes glowed sinisterly and Sauske could barely keep his gaze away. (In the back of his mind, the lesson of never looking a Dōjutsu-user in the eyes, echoed hollowly.)

Then, Itachi was gone in a burst of speed. Sasuke scrambled to his feet, although he didn’t know where he found the strength to stand. He ran out of the house, out onto the streets, following his brother’s trail. Tears streamed down his face and anger stirred in his heart.

“Itachi!” he shouted angrily. Itachi stopped and looked at him again. Sasuke stopped too and studied him for a moment. “Why? Why would I...“ he choked, the question hanging in the air, unformed. “... me...”

Itachi’s face was blank, but as his eyes were filled with loathing. “You’re weak. A waste of my time.” Sasuke staggered back, the words were like a physical blow. “Hate me. Remember this night and despise me. Then, when you have these eyes... come and fight me. Come and fight and if you fail, I will finish what I’ve started tonight.”

Itachi turned then, suddenly and for a second, Sasuke caught a glimpse of the shuriken-like pattern once more. **“Tsukuyomi!“** (Moon Reader)

And then, everything went dark.

* * *

When Sasuke gained awareness again, he saw the blood red moon hang over the Uchiha Compound and then, he saw his brother appear behind someone like a shadow...

... and then suddenly, the picture shattered, like glass and he was surrounded by a much calmer environment, although he could not identify what it was. It was as if it changed constantly, even before his mind could make sense of the picture.

“You need not see that. But, at the very least, that man made it easier for me to reach you, Sasuke. Although, modifying Tsukuyomi like this was actually strange, as it plays with the victim’s mind.” a male voice said.

Sasuke’s breath hitched and he whirled around. Just out of his reach stood a stranger he had never seen before, yet there was this feeling... as if he was looking at a distorted reflection of a mirror.

The man had long brown hair cut short on top. Two locks wrapped in bandages framed either side of his face. His eyebrows were cut short. His hair was in a long cylinder and he had blue markings around his eyes, which were turned up at the corners. He wore a high-collared, light-coloured kimono held closed by a dark sash. The collar of the kimono was adorned with magatama. He wore a black full-bodied suit underneath.

But his most prominent features were his eyes. One moment, they were a warm shade of deep brown and the next, they were crimson with three tomoe circling the pupil.

“ _Sharingan_.” he choked out. “Who are you?”

“My name is Ōtsutsuki Indra. I’m the first user of the Sharingan and the progenitor of the Uchiha Clan, as well as the elder son of the Rikudō Sennin.“

Sasuke’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets at that. The son of the Sennin... a man of fables...

“And you, Uchiha Sasuke, are my next incarnation.“ Indra stated, as if he were commenting on the weather.

* * *

Sasuke woke to the smell of antiseptic and the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor. He blinked to clear his vision and looked around briefly. He was in a hospital room.

 _‘Why would I be in...‘_ he cut that thought off, when it came back to him, as clearly as day.

Making his way home from the Academy, finding the dead bodies, Itachi massacring the Clan... and Indra.

Sasuke jolted up in bed. Remembering a different life wasn’t fun – it caused a hell of a headache. He groaned softly, rubbing his temple.

 _Asura_.

The name of his brother floated into his mind without his consent and there was a sudden desire in his heart, to seek out the younger and _apologise_... Sasuke swallowed hard, his eyes flickering to the window.

The Uchiha were dead. His only family left was Asura. (After what happened, _that_ man would never be his brother again.) He clumsily stretched out his senses, searching for the powerful, calming presence of his brother. Yes _powerful_ – powerful in a way only an Ōtsutsuki could be. After a minute, he found it.

His lips turned upward into a tiny, pleased smile and he looked down at the wires connecting him to the device. His eyes narrowed at it and he sent a small pulse of Raiton chakra through it. The monitor immediately turned black. Satisfied with his work, he tore off the wires and hurriedly grabbed the long robe, throwing it over the flimsy pajamas he’d been dressed in.

Without a backwards glance, he leapt out the open window.

He sped through the roofs of the village with chakra enhanced leaps, clinging to Asura’s powerful presence, like a lifeline. He was the only one left.

(He hoped, prayed to any kami that would listen, that Asura would not turn him away. Of course, he would understand, if he did, –he had tried to kill his little brother about thirty times, after all and the times of the many reincarnations, which he didn’t want to remember, weren’t even counted. So he would understand, if Asura didn’t even want him within his sensory range. Still, a desperate part of him hoped that Asura’s caring heart would be open to him, as it was for others, even after all the fighting.)

When he arrived, he jumped down to a back alley and darted closer. He noted with great displeasure, that his brother’s small apartment – which was obviously in a deplorable state,– was at the border of the Akasen.

The nerve of the lot...! But, right now, he was too tired even to be angry and he just wanted to make sure his brother was fine. Knowing that Asura was fine, would be enough, if his brother wanted nothing to do with him. He staggered over to the door and knocked erratically.

After a minute or two –which was like an entire lifetime of waiting for him, – the door opened and Sasuke found himself facing a very familiar classmate.

Sun-kissed, spiky hair, mystical violet eyes and three fox-like whiskers on each cheek. If he weren’t so bloody tired, he would have laughed at the irony of it all. He had formed a bond with the blonde, even before he knew... or perhaps Naruto had known from the start?

 _Naruto_ , he wanted to say. To ask the Uzumaki to let him stay for the night and then he would be gone. But as exhaustion took hold of him, darkening the edges of his vision, an entirely different name slipped from his lips.

_“Asura...”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and tell me what you think :)  
> No flames, please, altough constructive criticism is welcome.


	5. Regrets and Brotherhood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited as of 20/10/20 and reuploaded on 23/10/20  
> Thank you, ArtemisVic!

Naruto had been worried when he heard what had happened to the Uchihas. To think one of their own would turn against them...

Yes, he had never agreed with Indra’s forceful methods of peace and in fact by the end his brother had seemed _mad_ , but he knew one thing for sure. Once, his brother had cared for him and if anyone would have dared harming him then, Indra would have burned the world for him. Just as he knew Indra would have burned the world for his children if it meant their safety or happiness.

In short there was no one who cared more than an Uchiha. (But that care and love was also their downfall. If the one they cared for so deeply was lost to them, taken by death or betrayal... well, that was the reason for the _Nikushimi no Noroi_.)

The point was that he had been worried for Indra. Yet he hadn’t been close to the Uchiha in the Academy, despite their short bonding periods. So suddenly heading towards the hospital in a mad dash, ditching even the med-nin and instead hopping into the room through the window, was not an opinion. It would have been overly suspicious and suspicion was something he wanted to avoid.

The Hokage already had extra eyes on him, due to being Kurama’s host. Or, more likely because the civilians were violent towards him because of Kurama.

So he had been quite surprised when his morning routine was disturbed, by his sensory tingling. Indra – Sasuke, he would have to call the Uchiha by the name he carried in this life or else he might freak his friend (brother) out – was nearby. In fact he was right...

His thoughts were interrupted by a frantic knock. He froze for a second, processing it. Sasuke was on the other side of the door. The Uchiha had sought him out on his own. Shaking his head to focus, Naruto scrambled to his feet to open the door.

Sasuke looked worn and paler than usual, his bottomless black eyes fretful and pleading at the same time. _“Asura...”_ the Uchiha choked out, before falling.

Naruto reacted on instinct and caught his falling friend. No. Brother. He remembered. And he was here. He was glad that Sasuke’s voice had been so quiet. He didn’t have entire ANBU squads following him now, like he did around the time of his birthday. However, an ANBU would pop up randomly, to make sure he was fine. He wouldn’t have wanted anyone to hear that. It would be a pain to explain why Sasuke called him by a different name. Or why he was in his home in the first place.

By the looks of it, Sasuke had fled the hospital, as soon as he woke up. But, that wasn’t much of a surprise. Indra had hated letting others see him weak and hated being around people who could heal. There was one time he could recall, when Indra had been seriously injured, months before the task their father had sent them on to determine the Heir. It was that one time when Indra had been bedridden and even then, his brother had only allowed him to do the healing. (He’d denied help from even their father and that was something.)

Naruto carefully shifted his Uchiha friend and dragged him over to the crappy bed. Everything was old and used in his home, but the bed was perhaps more comfortable, than the couch. Once he was sure Sasuke was relatively comfortable, he gathered some medical chakra into his hand to check him.

Sadly, his chakra control was near non-existent, compared to the amount of control he had before, so the green chakra flickered out fast. Yet, it was enough for him to know that Sasuke was fine. He was just tired.

Satisfied with his findings, he pulled a blanket over his brother and decided to head out. The forest wasn’t far from here and he was sure he would find a few herbs, which would have a calming effect.

He had a feeling his brother would need them. (And perhaps, he would need them too.)

* * *

When Sasuke woke up, he saw a grey ceiling with peeling paint. It wasn’t in the hospital... and then he remembered. He remembered remembering his life and then fleeing to follow Asura’s traces. He sat up and looked around.

The apartment was small and old, the paint peeling from the walls and the door was just barely in place. The couch was faded and torn and even this... he looked down. He lay on Naruto’s (Asura’s?) bed. Honestly, even sleeping on the ground would have been more comfortable.

He felt anger stir in him again. Why was Naruto living alone? Shouldn’t he have a guardian? Besides, he was a Royal Uzumaki. A Clan Heir. He should not be here, living next to whores. He should have been on the other side of the village in a comfortable apartment if he found his family compound too big. (Wait, did the Uzumaki even have a Compound here?)

Where was the blonde anyway? The place was filled with his potent chakra, so Sasuke knew he had been here. He might have even disturbed the blonde in some chakra practice. Yet... he wasn’t here now.

“Sasuke?”

He had not jumped even a bit, when he heard his name being called. He shifted his gaze, to see the blonde perched on the narrow windowsill. Naruto had a small bouquet of greens in his hand, which, knowing him, were herbs.

“N-Naruto.“ he greeted with a nod, cursing himself inwardly for the moment of hesitation.

The Uzumaki landed in the house soundlessly, moving over to his kitchen with the soundless grace he’d always possessed. For a second, Sasuke forgot how clumsy he could be sometimes. Now and back then, too.

He silently watched, as Naruto chopped up the herbs and put some into a cup. He grabbed another cup, filled it with water and heated the liquid with a small burst of Katon chakra. Sasuke’s lips twitched upwards at the casual use of their Art. Today shinobi, or at least some of the shinobi with bloody histories, would have looked at the blonde strangely for using chakra for trivial matters, like boiling water for tea.

He poured the heated water on the herbs and covered the cup with a plate, before walking over and placing the cup a foot away, so neither of them would kick it up and spill the liquid.

 _“I’m sorry.“_ Sasuke blurted out. He couldn’t hold it anymore. He had come to apologise, after all. “I’m sorry for saying those things. I’m sorry for not listening to you.“ he looked down. “For being jealous, when we could have shared things, as you suggested we do, after Otō-sama’s death. I would say I’m sorry for trying to kill you at least thirty times, but I don’t have an excuse for that and people don’t brush off an attempt on their life by their own blood. Much less _thirty_...”

He looked up. For once in forever, he couldn’t read his brother’s expression.

“I... I know I made mistakes. Big ones, that can’t be ignored or brushed aside. _Hell_ , my actions sparked _a war,_ which lasted for _ages_...“ he gulped, “But... this... _this mess_ , this misery. Maybe I deserved it. Traitors don’t deserve more, than misery, after all. But you and yours never deserved it. You were too good and caring for all that. You should have had happiness and everything good in the world, because you deserved it, you still deserve it and I don’t.”

Sasuke looked away again, unable to stand the sharp violet gaze. Gods, it was even harder to withstand these cutting eyes, than the brown gaze before.

“I forgive you.“ Naruto muttered and suddenly, Sasuke had two arms wrapped around his neck in a tight hug. “You were my first friend in the Academy. The first person to notice me. And you were my brother by blood, before. You still are. _My best friend and brother, no matter what time we live in_.“ the grip tightened even more. “And this time around, I will keep an even closer eye on you. Zetsu won’t ever touch you again.”

Sasuke’s breath hitched and tears slipped from his eyes. “It’s my fault your parents in this life are dead. If...“

“ **No**.” Naruto said. “That’s Madara alone. And Zetsu. Not you. That cycle ended at the Shūmatsu no Tani. It’s Zetsu, who’s to blame. And Madara. _Not you_ , Indra.“

Sasuke slowly relaxed into the hug and for a moment, he just enjoyed his brother’s closeness. Because no matter their names, no matter what time they lived in, they would always be brothers. Best friends and brothers.

Then, Naruto let go of him and gathered the tea from the floor, offering it to him with a smile. “Drink. It will help you calm down and keep a clear head.“

The Uchiha smiled. His brother was his anchor. His light. He took the cup and sipped at the hot contents. As the heat spread through his body, he could already feel himself relaxing. “Thank you.“

“I know you always liked tea.“

Sasuke chuckled. “Not just for the tea. For saving me from Zetsu. For saving me from myself.“

“You’re welcome, Nī-sama. But that’s what little brothers are for. To knock some sense into their big brothers, when they start acting like the biggest idiotic jerks of the millenia.” Naruto grinned foxily.

Sasuke couldn’t help the amused snort that escaped him. (Trust Asura to make fun of even the most serious situations.)

Oh, by the Shinju, how much he’d missed this! Just being around his brother, calmly, enjoying each other's company, while sipping tea. Seriously, that tea was so good, that Sasuke was sure it should be _illegal_.

* * *

Kakashi was sure that if his hair wasn’t naturally silver then the white, which sneaked its way into it within a week, would have been much more visible.

First, his favourite, most promising subordinate goes rogue after killing _his entire Clan in a single night._ The only survivor who remained, was said killer’s younger brother, who was currently missing from the hospital.

With the Uchihas dead and the last survivor missing, the entire ANBU was a frantic mess. Kakashi was surprised, when he had been given his mission details for the day. No Uchiha search. No crime scene investigation. Instead, the Hokage had personally asked him to keep an eye on his sensei’s son. Kakashi had no idea why – the villagers were too shocked by the news of the Uchihas, to care about Naruto’s presence,– but he didn’t complain. He could not muster up the courage to approach the child and introduce himself. But at least, he could keep an eye on him. It was the least thing he owed to his sensei and Kushina-san.

And now, now arriving in his lovely charge’s apartment, he found them both here. Naruto and Sasuke, sitting on Naruto’s old bed. Sauske was sipping tea and they were sitting next to each other. Naruto’s head on Sasuke’s shoulder. The oddest, most unexpected scene _ever_.

He would have thought the two would hate each other. Their personalities and backgrounds were just too different for them to understand the other.

Another blow was when just after settling on his usual spot, the Uchiha’s eyes found him. _‘Is he a Sensor too, like Naruto?‘_ he thought. It was possible, but unlikely. The Uchiha had few Sensors in their ranks. Sensory ability was something for which the Senju and Uzumaki had been known for. Although a Sensor or two tended to pop up among the Uchiha too in a few generations.

If Sasuke was one too then they would be a hell of a pair. Two Sensors on the same team... a Tracker specialist would kill for the opportunity to work with two powerful Sensors, like the boys seemed to be. (Because Sasuke had to be gifted with it too, to spot a fully trained ANBU.)

“Otōto.“ Sasuke hissed. “We have an intruder.”

Kakashi blinked in disbelief. Had... had Uchiha Sasuke just called Naruto – the orphan, village pariah– ‘otōto ‘?

Naruto perked up and after a second, his eyes settled on Kakashi’s spot too. Why the hell was he still in the shadows when both kids were aware of his presence? _‘Kids these days.‘_ he grunted mentally, _‘No respect for their ANBU betters just doing their assigned duty...‘_

Naruto smiled and patted the Uchiha softly. “Relax. That’s Inu-san. He’s nice. One of the few people, who are actually nice to me. Him and his squad often stop by to check on me cause the villagers...“ he shrugged, his face sheepish and sad at the same time, “You know...”

Sasuke grunted something under his breath. As he saw the Uchiha wince, Kakashi decided it was time to reveal himself. The kids knew he was here, anyway. “Uchiha-kun, Naruto-kun.“ he greeted before looking at Sasuke again. “You should still be in the hospital, Uchiha-kun. The med-nin weren’t done with their work, from what I’ve heard.”

Sasuke scowled at him, his eyes narrowing and if looks could kill, Kakashi was sure, he would be six feet under. But then again, he was an Uchiha. Some of the Uchiha looks could kill. He just hoped Sasuke would never gain so much power, to take down S-ranked shinobi with a mere glance. _(Oh, if only he knew...)_

“I’m _not_ going back.” Sasuke said, his tone sharp and final.

“I’m sorry, but all the ANBU have orders to take you back, if they see you. So, that is what I will do.” he said, walking closer.

Sasuke glared and suddenly a blast of Killing Intent was directed at him from the Uchiha, his charcoal eyes burning red with three tomoe. What the hell had Itachi done to the kid, which gave Sasuke fully developed eyes in a single night?!

“I will not go, you...” he growled, only to be cut off, as Naruto put a hand on his shoulder.

“Nī-sama!“ Naruto hissed. “Relax. And it’s not nice to act to him like that, you know. He’s one of my few favourite people.”

Kakashi smiled under his mask at those words. It was nice to hear that Naruto liked them, because he assumed by ‘few‘ favourite people, the blonde had meant the Hokage and the ANBU, who guarded him in shifts since that near-death beating when he was six.

Sasuke growled, more chakra and Killing Intent radiating from him and Kakashi was actually starting to feel uncomfortable. “His _eye_...”

 _‘Ah, so that’s it.‘_ Kakashi thought with a sigh. He should have expected something like that, after what had happened to the Uchihas.

Naruto hummed. “I know. But he’s had it even before it. For years at that.“

Sasuke drew up short and looked at Naruto. “Really?“

“Yes.“ the blonde nodded seriously and in that moment, Kakashi saw his sensei, instead of the little blonde. Gods, how much he looked like both of his parents!

Kakashi knew he shouldn’t, but he still spoke. Best get the Uchiha to trust him, at least enough to come back to the hospital willingly. If he knocked Sasuke out, the med-nin would castrate him. “I had a very good Uchiha friend years ago. He died in the war. I lost that eye in a previous mission. He saved my team’s life, but he was dying. He unlocked his Sharingan then. He asked me to take the eye and use it to protect the people I cared about, like he had.“

The two blinked at him, both of their faces shocked. “That...“ Sasuke muttered, “That was nice of him. You must have been close, then.”

“He was my best friend.“ Kakashi answered simply. The silence stretched on for longer than Kakashi would have liked. Just to get away from the awkwardness of it (and the kids’ sharp, searching gaze), Kakashi gestured at the door. “We should leave, Uchiha-san. If I don’t get you back, both the Hokage and the medic-nin will be unhappy. You don’t piss off med-nin...”he shivered at the very idea.

The Uchiha frowned. “I hate hospitals. I hate healers.“ he muttered, his Sharingan taking a complete 180, in agitation. ( _Healers?_ Who uses such an old-fashioned word these days?) The Hatake sighed. He was a tough nut to crack, for sure.

“If I go with you?“ Naruto offered. “Surely, it’s just for today, so they can make sure you’re fine.”

The frown didn’t disappear, but Sasuke seemed to consider it, which Kakashi counted as a win. Then, the pair of Sharingan found his gaze again. “Can he come too?”

He nodded slowly. “I’m sure he can stay, as long as he doesn’t hinder the medics in their work.”

Slowly, both boys stood up and walked over to him, Sasuke a bit more cautiously than Naruto. Kakashi was sure he would get an earful from both the Hokage and the Head Medic for bringing Naruto along, but... who cared? At least the boys were willing to cooperate and Naruto’s presence seemed to put Sasuke at ease. It seemed the Uchiha had a friend (a brother?) in Minato-sensei’s son.

That meant more than any medicine a medic could give, right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments. Comments are like cookies and caffeine :3


	6. Academy Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Academy years in sniplets after the Uchiha Massacre, till before graduation.

Naruto knew, that going back to the Academy would be hard for his friend/brother, so he understood why the Uchiha wasn’t looking forward to it. Sasuke had practically moved into his tiny appartment, refusing to go back to the Compound. Not that Naruto blamed him. There were nights, when Sasuke would wake screaming, his nightmares a mix of present and their past life.

So, he had not said anything, when a week after that dreaded hospital visit, Sasuke just randomly walked into his small home with two bags. One for his clothes and such, the other for various shinobi tools, which they needed for practice.

The remaining week, which the Hokage had allowed both of them to miss out, with the ANBU dropping off a few books they needed to read, the two of them set to rearranging and patching up the tiny place the best they could. It was not _comfortable_ , but it was better, than staying at the deserted Compound or spending the nights in the wild.

However, if there was something for which they kept returning, it was the Uchihas library. The place was filled to the brim with various things, some of which the Uchiha never used more, than the basics. (One such thing was Fūinjutsu. Indra _despised_ Fūinjutsu and not so surprisingly, it was one of the weakest skills of Uchihas in general.)

Naruto on the other hand, benefitted from it. Of course, they had their memories, but Fūinjutsu was a versatile, ever-changing Art, so he needed to catch up. Besides, despite both of them having the theorical knowledge of their previous lives’ jutsu, it didn’t mean they could use them. Their bodies were not the bodies of grown men, after all and neither their reserves, nor their chakra control were up to par.

So for a few more years, there wouldn’t be valley-craving fights, like it had happened in their prime. Of course, this time they wouldn’t try maim each other, but an all-out fight to keep in shape, even for training, would be able to crave a valley, if they ever managed to get their skills and power to the old levels.

What they didn’t expect on their return to the Academy, was the hoard of girls screaming ‘Sasuke-kun‘. They didn’t know, but it was also the day when the Fan Club of Uchiha Sasuke was formed. (Much to the displeasure of said Uchiha.)

* * *

**_Two years later:_ **

Naruto was on the fourth chapter of his book, when he first sensed them approaching. It was a very enjoyable book about Fūinjutsu, which Inu-san had given him, after the ANBU caught him reading some Uchiha scrolls about the Art. It was a well-written, enjoyable read, penned by the Yondaime Hokage.

The man was a genius for sure.

Naruto stole a glance at his brother, who chose a window seat, thus he only had one available space next to him, which Naruto himself occupied. It was Sasuke’s new plan to avoid being near the annoyingly loud girls. The blonde wondered, if it would work. He considered telling Sasuke, that his fan club was coming, but he decided against it. Let the Uchiha meditate, as long as possible. It would help him survive the day.

Having a fan club, after all, was an entirely new experience for Sasuke. The first time around he’d been the loner, the untouchable Ōtsutsuki Prodigy. Someone, whom their father’s followers admired, yet dared rarely to approach. Especially after Indra had sent that poor soul running, after he’d been made fun of. That was the day, when Asura realised his brother cared for him, even if he was awkward at showing it.

The girls poured in and when they spotted Sasuke, they immediately hurried over. “Move Naruto, I want to sit next to Sasuke-kun!“ the blonde girl – Yamanaka Ino– said.

“No, I’m sitting next to him!“ Sakura said, her green eyes narrowing on Ino, before she glared at him. Naruto didn’t even twitch.

“Sorry Sakura-san, Ino-san. It’s my seat now.“ he gestured at the mostly empty classroom. It was pretty early after all. “Find another seat, please.”

“Move, Naruto-baka!“ Sakura growled, as she moved to push him.

For some reason, she thought she could bully him into doing what she wanted, only because her written scores were better, than his. She seemed to forget, that her physical and survival scores were one of the lowest, while his were among the best. Sasuke had better scores on marksmanship, while his scores were better in survival. Their sparring scores were even and the last two times, they had a tie, surprising even the teachers.

However, as she pushed him, Sasuke rose and caught her hand, surprising many in class. He wasn’t one to get involved in his and the girls’ fights over the seat. In fact, he had never touched anyone, other than Naruto, outside a spar.

“Leave.” Sasuke said in a quiet tone.

Both girls drew up short, blinking at him. “Sa-Sasuke-kun?“ Sakura whispered.

Sasuke glared, his Sharingan flashing, which caused both girls to stagger back. As Sakura staggered, Sasuke let her go. “Leave us _now_. And if you ever try to bully Naruto again, you will regret it.“

The two girls shuffled away, throwing shocked and wary glances at Sasuke, as they took their seats. The few others who were in class, watched in quiet shock.

* * *

The boys glared at their respective trees.

They managed to ditch the Academy by Sasuke feigning sickness and Naruto, playing the worried friend/brother card, remained to _watch over him_.

However, Sasuke wasn’t sick. In fact, he could hardly be any healthier. But after the two of them realised, that the Academy was not going by their standards, they decided to take things into their own hands. But then again, it would be hard to live up to _their_ standards, when they were the first of the three most famous clans of the shinobi world, whose father was called a god on Earth.

So, they decided to train themselves. They did, after all, know all the theory behind things. Chakra control, elemental manipulation and so on. Heck, it had been _Indra_ , who had invented Ninjutsu, although at the time it wasn’t meant for killing.

“ _Stupid_ reincarnation.“ Sasuke growled. “All my skills are gone.”

“At least _you_ can walk on that goddamn tree!“ Naruto spat back. “If I let out too much chakra, I get blown down and the bark cracks from my chakra!“ he growled, pointing at the two trees, which his dense, uncontrolled chakra had already ruined.

Sasuke hummed, his eyes darting across the line of ruined trees. “We’re not going home, useless we get somewhere, with this stupid exercise.“

“Agreed, Nī-sama.”

They shared a look before getting a running start to try and stick to the tree barks.

The next day, Genin Team Four, led by Shiranui Genma, would arrive in their usual training ground to a shocking scene. Several trees barks damaged –two trees even uprooted, – and the ground having cracks and craters, while there were also slashed branches and burned leaves.

In short, the whole place had been totally destroyed.

* * *

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, when he saw Naruto’s test sheet. He growled lowly, ready to report to Iruka, that Mizuki had intentionally sabotaged Naruto. (The scarred Chūnin was among the kinder teachers, so to say. He didn’t hinder or sabotage Naruto. He just simply ignored the Uzumaki.)

“Don’t.” Naruto hissed. “Not here, not to him.”

Sasuke scowled. “Otōto! That’s _sabotage_! It’s unfair and completely unethical of a shinobi. Well, in _these_ circumstances, it is unethical. You should teach the next generation well, because they carry your teachings and legacy and...”

“ _Enough_ , Onī-sama.” Naruto growled lowly, surprising the Uchiha with the suddenly sharp tone. “Let it be, as it is. You are the top of the class and I am the one with the lowest scores. The best and the last get placed on the same team, if my assumptions and calculations are correct. We need to be on the same team, or we’ll both go mad from the stupidity and ignorance of the village.”

Sasuke grunted, unhappy that his brother had to play the complete idiot. True, he learned harder, than Sasuke himself and trough different methods – or sometime, he just needed a bit more time– but Naruto was not an idiot. In fact, Sasuke would consider the blonde a genius in some fields, that Sasuke himself had some trouble with. (Plus, Naruto had the uncanny ability to come up with plans o the fly, which amazed Sasuke.)

He huffed and nodded. “Very well, I will let it be, as you wish.”

Unknown to them, a certain Nara overheard their exchange and he would ponder several things in the future – like, why Naruto was intentionally sabotaged or why did the two speak so carefully, formally even, when around each other.

Although, from than on, Shikamaru would pay more attention to the strange duo and he would notice, that there would be times, when their speech pattern and vocabulary would drastically change, only to be back to normal, more modern speech the next minute.

* * *

Naruto sat in a meditative position trying to get a feel of his chakra. The past week he’d been trying to get a hang of shape manipulation. It was one of the things he had been good at, but right now, came to him hard. It was strange, being good at one thing once and the next time, being unable to do even the first step of it.

 _“Gaah!“_ he groaned in annoyance, throwing himself onto the grass. “This just doesn’t work!”

They were in a small clearning, not far from his appartment. After that one time years ago, when they destroyed the training ground, they agreed to train in more remote places, so there wouldn’t be questions from the higher-ups.

Sasuke opened his eyes and allowed the Sharingan to deactivate. Whenever he let his chakra free, while meditating, his eyes would activate. “What doesn’t work, Otōto?“

Naruto groaned and looked at him. “Shape Manipulation. It’s the main thing you need, to form the _Kong_ _ō F_ _ūsa_ (Adamantine Sealing Chains). From what I gathered from Kā-san’s Clan scroll, it would work like that. Shape manipulation and a seal on the user’s body, which would stay till death. I drew the seal – _and no, N_ _ī-sama, I didn’t mess it up_ – “he glared pointedly, as the Uchiha opened his mouth to ask, “but it still doesn’t work. I can’t seem to regulate my chakra enough. Which is strange, because this thing needs much less chakra control, than medical jutsu, for example.”

Sasuke hummed, thoughtful for a moment. His eyes were traling his body and the blonde knew his brother was studying his pathways. “It would surely be better if we had a Byakugan-user right now, but I think it might have to do something with Kurama’s seal. You _did_ say it was leaking his chakra into your body, no?”

Naruto groaned. “I almost forgot about that. So, I either shut off his chakra, or we try doing something with that godforsaken seal?”

Sasuke shrugged. “Whichever you want.”

For a moment, Naruto sat thoughtfully. On one hand, simply shutting off the chakra would be easier, but perhaps having a look at the seal wouldn’t hurt either. Kurama had calmed down in the past few years, so the fox was at least willing to be civil. Oh, they weren’t chatting on daily basis, but he hadn’t tried bisecting Naruto the last time he visited, either.

“Let’s visit him. Throw me in and come with me.“ he said.

Sasuke deadpanned. “The last time I entered your mindspace, he tried clawing my eyes out.“

Naruto nodded. “True. But he can’t hold grudges forever. Besides, from what I’ve seen, Otō-san bargained with the Shingami to seal him. So if I die, Kurama gets discorporated too.”

Sasuke snorted, amusement flashing in his eyes. “Your father definitely knew his art.“

Naruto hummed. “They did call him one of the finest shinobi of his time and he was a recognied seal expert. Not many go on tampering with Space-Time jutsu.”

Sasuke huffed. “True. So, ready?“

Naruto groaned. “Bring it on.“ he said, wrapping his chakra around Sasuke and looking into his eyes, letting the Genjutsu wash over him.

For a moment, both of them were falling and then, they arrived. There was a major improvement to the surroundings this time. In the early days, when Kurama hadn’t even been willing to acknowledge, that they _remembered_ and were trying to come up with a way to _fix things_ , the place was a dark sever.

Now, it was a massive forest with a great pond. The golden bars still stood unmoved, but there was light everywhere, almost giving a feeling of freedom. Of course, both Naruto and Sasuke knew, that it wasn’t, but it was the closest the blonde could bring freedom, for their fox brother.

“Kurama-nī-sama.“ the two greeted, as they stopped in front of the great bars.

The Bijū’s burning red eyes opened. He was still displeased with his situation, but he no longer had so much hate in him, as the first time, when Naruto had come before him, after remembering. (His chakra still didn’t have a nice feel, but it was no longer suffocatingly dark, either. Plus, since Naruto re-mainfested Mokuton, he had Kurama’s _Negative Emotion Detection_ at his disposal, as another sense.)

 **“Asura, Indra.“** the fox huffed. Since they had made it up, the fox actually borthed to use their names, instead of simply saying ‘gaki‘ – in the blonde’s case – or ‘traitor‘, in the Uchiha’s. **“What brings you here?“**

“We hoped you might have an idea what seal was used here. With your chakra leaking in with mine, I can’t hope to form Kongō Fūsa.“

Their brother growled, anger flashing in his predatory gaze. **“And what you hope to do with _that_ accused technique, Asura?“**

The blonde rolled his eyes. “By blood, I’m no longer Ōtsutsuki, am I? Got to keep Clan traditions. besides, that jutsu _is_ very useful.”

 **“Fine.“** he growled. **“But don’t you _dare_ to use it against me!“**

Naruto matched the searing gaze unwaveringly. “Do not _force_ me to use them against you. Respect me, as I respect you and this will be easier for both of us. Perhaps, in time, we may even find a solution for you and your siblings to be free again.”

**“Very well.“**

Naruto smiled. “Thank you.”

“Naruto.“ Sasuke called, pointing at the massive gates. “That ofuda is a barrier. Keeps Kurama from sensing trough you. If we get it off, he’ll at least sense the outside world and perhaps, you can have a proper look at the seal and solve your problem.”

Naruto studied it for a second and nodded. “Let’s see, then.” he jumped up, reaching to peel it off, but suddenly two arms wrapped around him.

“Oh _no_ , Naru-chan, you don’t.“ a melodious female voice sung.

“Leave it where it is, _musuko_.“ a deeper voice insisted.

As he was pushed away from the gates, Kurama roared and Sasuke gasped. Naruto pulled away from the grip and he was ready to snap...

... when he realised _who_ stood before him.

One was a blonde man, with blue eyes, dressed in the standard Konoha Jōnin uniform, with a white haori over it.

The second was a beautiful red-haired woman with violet eyes, dressed in white, short-seeve blouse and a green dress, with shinobi sandals.

“ _Naruto_...“ Sasuke said, eyes narrowed.

“I can see, Sasuke.“ he said, studying the chakra imprints of his parents curiously. (His father was realy a genius, he had to addmit.)

“And who you might be?“ asked the Yondaime, studying Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded in greeting. “Uchiha Sasuke.“

“Oh, Mikoto-chan’s boy.“ Kushina said with a grin. “Look Minato, my godson’s grown just as well, as our son. And they’re even friends!”

“ _Godson?_ “ the boys echoed in shock.

Kushina nodded, her grin widening. “Mikoto was my best friend and ex-teammate, so before you were born, she asked me to be your godmother.“ she took a step closer and gently ruffled Sasuke’s hair, surprising the Uchiha.

“Huh.“ Naruto murmured. “The world’s full of surprises.“

“Tell me about it, Otōto.“ Sasuke agreed, stealing a glance at the blonde. The Uzumaki-Namikaze pair raised their eyebrows at the form of address, but didn’t question it.

“What did you want with the seal, musuko?“ Minato asked. “The Fox is dangerous.“

“He’s just pissed at us.“ the boys said at once. Kushina opened her mouth to ask something, but Sasuke raised a hand, silencing her.

Then, Naruto spoke again. “It’s a long story. Involves a blood feud and reincarnation.“ more rised eybrows, “But I have a problem with the seal. Because the furball’s chakra leaks into my system, I can’t form the Uzumaki Chains.“

Kushina gasped. “You already have the scroll? Sarutobi-sama gave it to you?“

Naruto snorted. “No. Sasuke mentioned you, when he found an old team picture of his mother’s. And Otō-san wasn’t hard to figure out, once you look at a picture. The fox also dropped a hint or two, last year. We added two and two together.“

“The Sandaime doesn’t know, that we are aware of Naruto’s heritage. Or about the furball.“ Sasuke said.

“Well, in that case,“ Minato sighed, “remove the barrier seal. But please be care...“

“I have Mokuton.“ Naruto stated. “It will keep the seal stable. In the worst of cases, I can subdue the furball with the chains _and_ Mokuton.”

Their eyes went wide. “ _How_?“ his mother asked in shock, “Only Shodaime-sama...“

“ _Reincarnation_.“ Sasuke repeated again. “And the Senju and Uzumaki share the same ancestors. In fact, they are also distantly related to the Uchihas, but that was a relation everyone was contet forgetting about.“

Minato sighed. “I wish we had more time. You made me curious. But the chakra will run out soon. Grow strong, both of you.“ his eyes settled on Naruto, “And don’t forget, Naruto. We love you, no matter what.“

Naruto blinked, as his father hugged him. Soon, a sobbing redhead also joined them. “We love you. Forever.“

“And I love you too.“ the Mokuton-user murmured.

Kushina reached out and dragged Sasuke into the hug, shocking the Uchiha yet again. The Yondaime grinned at his surprised look. “You’re a part of the family, too, Sasuke. Thank you for being there for him, when we can’t.“

Sasuke stole a glance at his brother. “He was there for me, when no one else was. He believed in me, when others didn’t. It’s the least thing I owe him.“ he said, bumping Naruto in the shoulder.

They remained like that, hugging and holding one another, until the last traces of the chakra imprints faded.

If Naruto had a few tears running down his face, when they returned to the real world, Sasuke pretended not to see anything and instead, just wordlessly hugged the blonde.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up, Graduation, a reveal and team placements...
> 
> Please leave comments and share your opinion :3


	7. Legacy of Senju and Uzumaki

The waiting was the worst part, Naruto decided.

They were already done with two thirds of the Graduation Exam – the written portion and the weapon examination. Although Naruto wished there hadn’t been a written part, he was still in one piece. His written scorses were surely just the minimal needed for passing. But, at least he had nine out of ten points on weaponry.

With those done, their class was waiting for the third part, which would determine, if they graduate or not. The Ninjutsu portion, which required them to perform _Henge_ , _Kawarimi_ and a _Bunshin_.

“I think, I hate that my name starts with an _U_.“ Sasuke murmured next to him. “We should just go by Ōtsutsuki. At least, we would be done by now.“

Naruto huffed. “Yeah. But the thing is, that my name should start with an _S_. Or at the very least, an _N_ , because we realy don’t know which of them has _that_ blood.“

Sasuke scoffed. “Lucky bastard.“

Naruto rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t start with either, so I’m here too. Besides, if we’re speaking about being lucky, you’ll go sooner, than _me_.“ he murmured heatedly, not wanting to draw too much attention.

Sasuke hummed. “By the way. Don’t you want to see _which_ of them has it? I mean... you know. Tell the Sandaime. Just the important parts, then ask him nicely which of them was...“

Naruto grunted. “I’ve been toying with the idea for a while. I asked Kura, but he has no idea which of them. At this rate, both of them could be half-blood.“

The Uchiha rolled his eyes. “Maybe. But maybe it’s just one. You just don’t know, _who_ and from whom...“ his sentence was cut off, as the door to the room opened and Iruka poked his head out.

The Chūnin’s gaze swept the corridor. “Uchiha Sasuke!“

Sasuke murmured an ‘about time‘, before standing up. Iruka smiled at him and waved him into the examination room. Once Sasuke was inside, the door shut behind Iruka and the remaining students were left in silence. Naruto tapped his feet softly against the floor. Of course, he knew that Sasuke would ace this part too, like the previous ones, but he couldn’t help his nerves. He was anxious to see his friend out of that room with a Konoha hitai-ate.

After a few minutes – which felt like a hundred years to the blonde, – Sasuke walked out of the room, the metal engraved with the Konoha symbold glinting in the light, on his forehead.

“Uzumaki Naruto!“ Iruka called.

The blonde stood and met Sasuke. The Uchiha smirked at him and they bumped fists. “Child’s play. So hurry up, Otōto. I’m hungry and a ramen would be nice.“

A grin stretched across the whiskered face. “I need five minutes.“ he murmured and nodded to Iruka, as he slipped into the room.

He stopped in the middle of the room, across from the desk, where Iruka and Mizuki sat. The scarred man gave him an encouraging smile. Mizuki’s face was blank, but Naruto wasn’t fooled. The man radiated so much hate and malice, that it almost unhinged his _Negative Emotion Sense_. Sometimes, he wished he could shut it down, but Kurama would not let that happen. _Why?_ Because it annoyed Naruto and the fox’s new entertainment was annoying the hell out of the blonde. Of course, Kurama thought it _justified_ , because it had been his and Indra’s past actions, which had led to the Bijū being sealed.

“Alright Narto. Please perform a _Kawarimi_ and switch with that chair.“ he said, pointing at an oddly placed chair.

Naruto nodded and did the task flawlessly, even switching back. Iruka looked pleased.

“A _Henge_ please.“

He did the handsigns and turned into Iruka, careful to miss a few details. Best not have full scores, otherwise that would look suspicious.

“Good.“ the instructor said, marking something on his paper. “A _Bunshin_ , please.“

Naruto paused for a second and turned it over in his head. Iruka just said he needed a clone, not specifying what type. Catching the loophole, a shadow of a grin crossed is features. He raised his hand in a Tiger sign.

He felt his chakra morph into water. **“Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu.“**

Two perfect water clones appeared flanking him. Iruka and Mizuki both blinked in shock. On the outside, Naruto grinned at the two academy teachers sheepishly. On the inside, however, he was frowning. It was a simple, C-rank technique, yet it took out much more of his reserves, than expected.

 _‘Note to self. Spend extra time on chakra control.‘_ he sulked inwardly.

“W-well done, Naruto.“ Iruka praised him, snapped from his shock, unaware of the blonde’s sulky mood. Once the two older men were calmer, Iruka offered him a headband. Naruto released his jutsu and the two clones splashed, leaving small puddles of water on the floor.

“Thank you, Iruka-sensei.“ he said with a grin, as his fingers wrapped around the metal plate. Mizuki had a fake smile on his face, but in reality he was giving off so much anger, hate and annoyance, that it almost made Naruto puke, mostly because it was directed straight at him.

He practically ran from the room, eager to be away from the white-haired Chūnin, lest he said or did something, which would land him in trouble. (If he landed himself in trouble in the first minutes of his official Genin life, Sasuke would set him on fire.)

He couldn’t get out of the room fast enough.

* * *

Naruto sauntered out of the Academy, happy to have a headband of his own. Many of the adult civilians were shocked to see the headband on him. Some looked angry, others looked fearful. He heard their whispers too, but he chose to ignore it all.

They just simply couldn’t tell the difference between the Jinchūriki and the Bijū. And it seemed, that in the time since his and Indra’s first death by each others’ hands, people had completely misjudged their non-human siblings, calling them monsters. Monsters, who had no compassion, only bloodlust and desire for destruction.

A part of him was angry, that people thought of the Bijū, as heartless monsters. Another part was sad and guilty – it was after all, partly his and Indra’s fault, that the world had come to be, what it was. Of course, human nature was part of it too – humans didn’t seem to change,– the want for power, to prove others ones superiority... but still. It was partly their fault, partly the fault of the entire human race.

It was sort of disheartening.

“Naruto-kun.”

Naruto perked up at the call of his name and cursed inwardly. He’d been so preocuopied with his thoughts, that he hadn’t even noticed someone coming near him. Turning to face the voice, he saw Mizuki. Now fully alert, Naruto felt the same sickening feeling, like before. It was like someone had poured honey on his back and thousands of ants were crawling trough it. It made him want to shudder.

“Mizuki-sensei?“ he asked surprised, not even having to fake it.

The Chūnin’s face was suspiciously friendly. “I’ve seen your points from the exam... and I was wondering, if you were open to a make-up test. For extra points, so it would get you placed on a better team later.“

Naruto blinked. Contrary to what the Academy believed he was _not_ a complete idiot. Sometimes he had problems understanding some concepts, but most of the time, his current hardships came from the neglect and sabotage of the teachers. Luckily for him, he had a genius for brother and Sasuke helped him out. (It was _nice_ , that Sasuke took extra time to help fill in the blanks and correct some flaws he picked up, due to the sabotage. He helped more now, than he had _before_.)

So the point was, that Naruto wasn’t as bad, as he would have been, in a different situation, without them remembering their past life. He was in the lower half of the class, yes, but he was _not_ the dead last, as he used to be and that was something. He wasn’t an idiot either. He could see Mizuki was planning something and he wanted to use Naruto for that plan.

 _‘But, I will use him to figure out his intentions instead. If he wants to harm the village, I can always stop him and he won’t even know what hit him.‘_ thought the blonde.

“That’s possible?“ he asked, trying to feign a mix of surprise and hope. “I could get more points?“

“Yes.“ Mizuki nodded.

“How?“ he asked, leaning closer. “Do you think I could even be the new Rookie, with those extra points?“

Naruto could see Mizuki was pleased, that his plan worked, but in fact, it was Naruto, who was playing him. The Uzumaki smirked inwardly. _‘Hook, line and sinker.‘_ Pranking and con realy paid off, if one was a shinobi.

“Well, you must not tell anyone about this. This make-up test is rare. The thing you’ll have to do...“

* * *

The security of the Hokage Vault was truly crappy. If Mizuki indeed spoke the truth and very important things were kept inside, than Naruto was afraid for the safety of Konoha. If _he_ – a twelve-year-old child– could get into the supposedly most well-protected part of the building. Addmiteddly, he had another life’s experiences, but still. That, at best, put him on the level of ANBU, in case of experiences.

ANBU, whom he had avoided without even being noticed. _Seriously!_ When he had been younger and played pranks, they’d at least _noticed_ him!

Shaking his head, he sped across the rooftops, eager to get to the meeting spot Mizuki had given. Soon, he would see the man’s true colours.

He just hoped his brother wouldn’t be too pissed at him for getting involved in something, that could very well be considered treason.

* * *

Naruto knew he shouldn’t have opened the scroll, but he was _bored_! He wanted to see what techniques had been considered ‘forbidden‘. Mizuki was late and Naruto was sure, that by now, the village had raised an alarm over the scroll’s disappearance.

His eyes stopped on a jutsu called Edo Tensei. Curiously, he read the technique and frowned in disgust. The dead should be left resting. To think someone even considered resurrection in such a manner... his violet gaze flickered to the bottom of the paragraph.

It was signed with a distinct name. _Senju Tobirama_. If Naruto recalled correctly, he had been the Nidaime Hokage. _Urgh!_ One of his kin had come up with a jutsu like this. And he’d muttered about _Indra’s_ unethicality before? Oh, he’d like to take it back now. It seemed people indeed forgot a lot, with time’s passing.

He shook his head and searched the scroll further. _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu._ His eyes skidded trough the lines and he smiled. Now this was a useful jutsu and not all that hard either. It was like other Bunshin, but with some useful differences (and, by the description, it needed a bit more chakra, but chakra had never been his problem).

Sensing people just entering his sensory range from two different directions, Naruto hurriedly closed the scroll and waited. Huh, interesting. One was Mizuki, but the other who was rapidly closing in on him from the village’s direction was _Iruka_ of all people. (The man had never been as mean, as other teachers, but he hadn’t showed any affections either, so having him here was a surprise.)

The first one to break trough the foliage was Iruka. His eyes were wide and... worried? “Naruto! You baka! What did you think stealing from Hokage-sama?!”

Naruto rolled his eyes inwardly. _‘Duh, checking out a theory about a traitor. Plus, it was a nice lesson for the people up there. It says something about the **elite** , when a twelve-year-old can slip past them, no?‘_

To Iruka, he faked surprise. “Iruka-sensei? Are you here to mark the extra points on my Exam?“

Iruka stopped dead in his tracks and blinked at him with wide, confused eyes. “What are...”

Iruka’s sentence was cut off by Mizuki’s arrival. “Ah, I see you got the Scroll, Naruto.“ the man grinned hungrily. “Now, give it to me and I’ll mark you the extra points tomorrow.”

“No! Naruto! Don’t give it...” Iruka started, only to be cut off, as Naruto released a wave of Killing Intent, surprising both teachers. And, it was directed at Mizuki, who froze for a second.

“You truly did believe I was that much of an _idiot_?“ the blonde spoke coldly, his eyes glinting as sharply, as steel. “I will not give it to you. I know the meaning of the word _forbidden_.“

Mizuki looked shocked and then he spoke. “Oh, come now, kid! I could take it from you any day of the week. But, if you give it to me, I will tell you why the village hates you so much. Do you know wy they hate you? Why would even your _parents_ abandon you? Even your whore of a mother didn’t want you.“

Naruto raised an eyebrow, but decided to play along. He was sure tha the Hokage would come. Or at the very least, send a squad of ANBU, to take the Scroll safely back to where it belonged under lock and key and the ANBU would surely take the traitor away.

“And why do they hate me?“

“It’s because...”

“No! Mizuki! It’s forbidden to talk about!” Iruka cried desperately.

The other man continoued anyway. “Twelve years ago the Kyūbi attacked the village and the Yondaime defeated it. Sealed it. And you Naruto... you are the Kyūbi.”

Naruto feigned shock for a second, but sadly, he hadn’t considered what Mizuki would do with that second. The man grabbed a fūma shuriken and hurled it towards him. However, before Naruto had a chance to stop it, Iruka cried out and tackled him away... there was a thud and Naruto looked up in shock.

He was on the ground and Iruka crouched over him – the giant throwing star sticking out of his back.

“What?!“ Mizuki called in shock. Naruto stared at the scarred man in surprise. He hadn’t expected Iruka to use his very body, as a shield to save him. (Just like his parents had on the night of his birth. Kurama had shown him the scene once, to try riling him up.)

“Iruka-sensei...“ he gasped.

Iruka grunted, looking at him. “Go, run Naruto. Take the Scroll and _run_.”

Naruto cautiously scrambled away from the brown-haired man, as Mizuki sneered down at them. “Why would you save the demon Iruka? It killed your parents!“

“Hai.“ Iruka nodded. “The Bakegitsune killed my parents. But Naruto is _not_ the Kyūbi. He’s just the container. He’s a child, a shinobi of the Leaf. So, I won’t let you harm him.”

Naruto’s heart clenched. He’d always thought the Iruka disliked him, but now... The man looked at him. “ _Run_ , Naruto.”

Naruto glared at Mizuki and slowly stood up. He could feel the Hokage and the ANBU closing in. But Mizuki had made this personal with the comment about his parents, but harming Iruka was way too much.

“You _bastard_.” he snarled at Mizuki. “You made this thing personal, when you spoke of _my parents_! You signed your own death warrant, when you hurt Iruka-sensei.”

He felt his chakra rise to the surface and his eyes narrowed on Mizuki. He formed a half-Ram for better focus. **“Uzumaki Hiden: Kong** **ō F** **ūsa!“** (Uzumaki Secret Tradition: Adamantine Sealing Chains)

Several of the thick golden chains brust from his back and wrapped around Mizuki. Around his arms, and legs. He yanked the chains and the man fell from the tree he’d been standing on.

That was when the Hokage and the ANBU arrived at the edge of the clearing. Naruto knew they would see this, but who cared? He had to reveal sometime and this was better, than snooping around the Hokage Tower with his brother, to find out which of his parents had Senju blood.

He flared his chakra and formed a Snake seal – which caused the trees around them to bloom... _crap_ , he really needed to work on his chakra control,– before slamming his hand on the ground. **“Mokuton: Shinku Ne Keimusho!”** (Wood Release: Crimson Root Prison)

The ground rumbled and Mizuki tried jumping away, but Naruto yanked him back onto the ground with the chains. Several roots broke the surrace and formed into a ball-like prison around the traitor. Once the roots stopped growing, Naruto smiked and detangled his chains, pulling them back. He smirked at the look on Mizuki’s face and formed another few seals. **“Mokuton: Mahi Kafun!“** (Wood Release: Paralitic Pollen)

Bright yellow flowers bloomed on the roots and released small plumes of shimmering pollen. A few minutes later Mizuki was on the floor, unconscious.

Naruto made another handsign and the roots sank back into the earth. He huffed and turned to his sensei. “Iruka-sensei?“

“I-I’m fine.“ said the shocked teacher, ignoring the shuriken in his back. “How...?“

Naruto gave a sheepish smile, before turning to the Hokage. The aged man and his ANBU seemed as speechless, as Iruka. “Your defences on the Tower are ridiculous, jiji.”

That comment seemed to snap the Hokage back to reality. “Now, how about we get Iruka to hospital and smooth this all out? And you can tell me what happened here, Naruto-kun.” he said in a hard tone.

* * *

Naruto sat patiently, watching as the medics treated Iruka. The room was a bit more crowded, than the two women would have liked, but Naruto refused to leave Iruka and the Hokage wanted to have his own questions. Once they were done, they turned to Naruto.

“Let me have a look, Uzumaki-san.“ the black-haired woman asked kindly. Naruto knew her – she was the Hokage’s personal medic Shimizu Saya.

He shook his head. “I’m fine Shimizu-san, thank you. I was a bit winded from all the chakra use but...“ he shrugged, “Being a Jinchūriki helps with that.“ she looked surprised, that he said that, but nodded anyway and left with her collegue soon after.

“Now...“ the Hokage started, “You could...” he was cut off, as the door to the room opened and a very pissed off Uchiha Sasuke marched in, his Sharingan spinning wildly.

“ _Uzumaki_!“ he hissed.

Naruto looked sheepish. “Eh, heh, Nī-sama...” Sasuke whacked him across the head and Naruto rubbed the sore spot with a pout. “ _Nee_ , Nī-sama that was uncalled for.”

“Uncalled for?!“ Sasuke hissed. “You said you’ll be back in _an hour_ and you weren’t. The next thing I know that my senses go mad with your chakra all over the place! What the hell did you do, anyway?!“

The blonde scratched his cheek. “Might have unlocked Mokuton.”

Sasuke blinked, freezing on the spot for a second. “W-what?“

“You heard me right.“Naruto grinned foxily.

Sasuke scowled and lightly shoved Naruto again. “ _Baka_.“ he glared, eyes narrowed. “You make me worry again and I will put a tracking seal on you. Get it?“

“But...“

Sasuke growled. “Try that again and I swear on the _Shinju_...”

Naruto huffed. “Fine, fine. Next time I’ll tell you, if I want to catch a traitor. _Better_?” he sulked.

Sasuke sighed, giving the blonde a sharp look. “Better.“ he muttered, ruffling Naruto’s hair. Naruto scowled at the Uchiha, but it didn’t deter Sasuke. In fact, he messed up his hair even more, if that was possible. Then, as Sasuke released the blonde, he noticed Iruka too and the bandages around his torso and the traces of blood on the man’s discarded shirt and vest. “Sensei? Are you alright?“

Iruka nodded, throwing the two boys a fond look. “Yes, Sauske, thank you for asking. I shall be healthy in a week or so again.” Sasuke nodded, pleased with the information. Then the Uchiha grabbed the blonde.

“Come on, baka. Time to go home.”

“Not so fast, boys.“ the Hokage spoke. He’d watched the scene with some interest –after all, an Uchiha had just called an Uzumaki (and very possibly, a Senju) his brother. Of course, he’d heard it from the ANBU, but he hadn’t seen the boys interact so freely before.

“Something’s wrong, Hokage-sama?“ Sasuke asked, throwing a scolding look at the blonde. “What did you do _this time_?“ he muttered.

“Well, I think we should speak about Naruto’s... heritage and condi...“

“As the Fox’s host?“ Sasuke asked, “Or that his parents are Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina?“

Both Iruka’s and the Hokage’s eyes widened, altough for different reasons. “Nī-sama!“ Naruto jabbed the Uchiha in the ribs. “Couldn’t you have been subtler?“

Sasuke shrugged. “There’s nothing to be subtle about. The only thing we don’t know, is which of them is related to the Senju.“

“And how do you know that?“ asked the Hokage.

Naruto groaned and shared a look with his brother. A silent agreement passed between them. They would tell them half truths. (They would think they’d gone mad, if they brought up the whole transmigration/reincarnation thing.)

The blonde scratched the back of his neck, as he looked at his surrogate grandfather. “Well, you see it happened...“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and share your thoughts :)


	8. Team 13 of Konoha

Naruto and Sasuke walked side by side towards the Hokage’s office. It had been three days since the incident with Mizuki. They had been summoned to meet with the leader –well, Naruto had been summoned, but the blonde insisted Sasuke to tag along.

“We’re here to see the Hokage.“ Naruto said, looking at the secretary. The woman studied them for a second before she smiled faintly.

“Go along, Uzumaki-kun. Hokage-sama is free and is expecting you.”

“Thank you, Midori-san.“ Naruto answered with a grin of his own, as they passed her desk and stoppped before the door. Naruto knocked before entering. Sasuke slipped in behind him, as if he were his shadow.

As the door closed behind them, the Hokage looked up. The aged man’s eyes immediately landed on him, before he looked back at Naruto. However, before he could speak, Naruto did.

“Nice day, jiji. Did you want to say something?“

“Yes. But since it concerns your family, I thought we might have a private...“

“Sasuke _stays_.“ Naruto said, his tone final. It reminded Sasuke of their first life – that tone was like their father’s. “He’s my brother and best friend. I would tell him anyway, whatever you have to say. Just spare me the time and let him stay.”

The Hokage seemed thoughtful for a moment before he nodded. “Very well. As you know, I asked my medics to do a blood test, after what had happened in the forest.“

Naruto hummed. On the outside he was calm and composed, but Sasuke saw it. The barely restained curiosty and excitement glinting in his violet eyes. “Yes. And?“

“Your mother was a Royal Uzumaki. A pure blood. It’s Minato, who had the Senju blood, it seems. He was, the son of Senju Minami, a kunoichi we thought dead. Minami was the daughter of my sensei. Naruto, you are the great-grandson of Senju Tobirama and thus, Hashirama-sama’s great-nephew.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened. He looked at the blonde. Naruto was forzen. The Hokage had made him speechless –a feat not many had managed to accomplish. Not now, nor in their previous life. Naruto had always had a sharp tongue and he voiced his thoughts, sometimes even a bit carelessly.

After what seemed to be eternity, Naruto got a grip of himself and nodded, looking at the Hokage pictures, that lined the office wall. “Did Otō-san know?“

The Sandaime shook his head. “I doubt it. Both of your parents were orphans of the war. Kushina remembered her parents and her homeland, but Minato knew nothing. He didn’t even know their names. It was Jiraya, my student, who found Minato with a blonde man. We have to assume that man was Minato’s father. With his dying breath, the man asked Jiraya, after he found Jiraya to be a shinobi of Konoha, to bring Minato to the village, to grow in his mother’s home, that was all the man said. I only know this because Jiraya told me. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“I see.“ the blonde said. “Thank you for telling me.“

The Sandaime sighed. “Now that you know most of it, I see no reason to hold anything back. I’m sorry I had to lie to you. But they asked me to shield you from their enemies, especially Minato’s and I knew no other way. The least thing I could do, was to give your mother’s name.“

Naruto sighed. “I could be angry and I believe we all know I would have the _right_ to be angry.“

The Sandaime nodded. For the first time since they entered, Sasuke saw worry and discomfort on the aged shinobi’s features. “Yes, I know and...“

Naruto shook his head and the Sandaime fell silent. “I’m not angry. I’m not happy how the village treated me, but the ignorance of others is not your fault.“ he said quietly. “My parents asked you to protect me from their enemies and you _did_. I’m in Konoha still and alive. So that’s something I should be grateful for, I suppose.“

“Thank you for the understanding, Naruto.“

“However, I have a request.“

“What is it?“ the man asked.

“Let me use my Clan names. Their symbols. I’m a shinobi now. Let the world know who I am.“

The Sandaime’s eyes were wide. “Naruto, you have to understand, carrying those names, is dangerous. You are one of the two last Senjus and possibly, the last Uzumaki. People might hunt your for your name.”

Sasuke huffed. “Like some people might hunt me, for my name and my Sharingan. It’s the same and you didn’t deny me my heritage, wealth and name.“ his eyes narrowed. “If you deny Naruto’s request, you deny him the things I have and that would make you a hypocrite, Hokage-sama.”

The Hokage seemed taken aback by his words, than he gave him a sharp look. Sasuke was about to speak again, when Naruto placed a hand on his shoulder. “Sasuke, please. No need to be so harsh.”

Sasuke stole a sidelong glance at the blonde. “It’s the _truth_.“

There was a short stare down between the two of them, but before either of them could say anyhing more, the Hokage sighed. They looked at the man, as he nodded to Naruto.

“Request granted, Genin Uzumaki.“ for a moment, there was quiet and Sasuke could see the scowl, that made its way to his brother’s face. “My apologies, it should be _Senju-Uzumaki_ now, I suppose.”

* * *

Kakashi liked being an ANBU. The hard, bloody missions helped him forget his failures in life. It helped him forget, that almost every person he truly cared about, was dead. And he liked being an ANBU, because that way, he could be close to Naruto. He could be close to Naruto and keep the promise he’d given himself, after figuring it out, who Naruto’s parents were.

Plus, being around Naruto, was now synonymus to being near Sasuke, which was also good. He had failed to notice the shift in Itachi, which had ended up with the Uchiha killing his Clan. Perhaps, he could keep an eye on Sasuke and prevent the younger from going down a dark path. He owed that to Shisui. And Obito, too.

So yes, Kakashi liked being in ANBU. Yet, here he stood, in front of the Sandaime Hokage, in the man’s office. The man himself was gazing calmly at him, smoking his pipe. The Hokage was calmness personified, as if he hadn’t just told Kakashi he was being kicked out of ANBU. Well, the man said _retire_ from ANBU, but that was the same to Kakashi.

“But Hokage-sama....“ Kakashi tried protesting, but the Hokage raised a hand.

“I need you, as a Jōnin-sensei.“ the Hokage said, taking a drag of his pipe.

Kakashi couldn’t help, but glare. “So you’re _kicking_ me out of ANBU, your _best_ capitan, so that I can _go and babysit some spoiled brats_?“

Amusement flashed in the man’s eyes and Kakashi swore he would burn all of the old geezer’s Icha Icha (it didn’t matter, that he thought of the book, as sacred) and then grab Naruto – and if he grabbed Naruto, Sasuke would surely tag along,– and become a Missing-Nin.

“Spoiled brats?“ the man hummed. “You have interesting concept of _spoiled_ , Kakashi. Your students are orphans, after all. I thought you’d thank me, if I let you tutor Naruto and Sasuke.”

Kakashi froze, needing a moment to make sense of the words. _Tutor Naruto and Sasuke._

When he had found out about Naruto, he had tried adopting the little ball of sunshine, and hadn’t stopped trying, until Naruto reached the age of five. Then, being perceptive as he was, Naruto learned that ANBU were often around him, to keep the _mean_ people away. After that particularly bad sixth birthday, the boy became even _sharper_. He showed signs of his parents skills and inellect and Kakashi noticed sadly, that after that incident, _he_ matured far too fast.

But he knew of the ANBU following him and he cared for them. Sometimes, they would hold short conversations with Naruto and Naruto _remembered_. He remembered their favourite foods and their birthdays. He was smart enough not to ask for their names, but he asked for their birthdays and he would leave small gifts – some sweets or plants, sometimes particularly nice drawings– as gifts. With those small gestures Naruto had soon become the favourite mission of every single ANBU operative.

And if possible, with those small gestures, Kakashi grew to cherish Naruto even more. The blonde was his little brother, despite Naruto not knowing his name. But now... _now_ he would be able to show himself to Naruto. To walk up to the blonde and hug him without his ANBU gear hiding his identity.

And he could do the same to Sasuke. He could tell the Uchiha about Obito and Shisui and about their dreams and ideals of _peace_. Perhaps sharing the good memories, would make sure Sasuke never fell into the darkness – the darkness he hadn’t seen in Itachi.

“So, will you take them on?“ the Sandaime asked after a long pause.

Kakashi nodded and happily tossed his ANBU mask onto the desk. This was his chance at redemption. “Hai, Hokage-sama.”

The man hummed, obviously noticing his sudden change of mind. “Yamato will be back in a week from his mission. He will be your partner in teaching Naruto and Sasuke.“

Kakashi nodded. It was easy to work with Yamato and they were even friends, he supposed. “Who’s the third Genin, Hokage-sama?“

The Sandaime looked down at two files, which Kakashi had a feeling were Naruto and Sasuke’s. “No one. You, Yamato and the two Genin will be Team 13.“

Kakashi’s single eye went wide with shock. Team 13 were usually the hopeless losers. The ones, who were even _worse_ , than the dead last of a class. Team 13 was formed rarely and only when the Genin involved had special abilities or Kekkei Genkai, which the village wanted to exploit.

“But... Hokage-sama...“

“Neither of them are deadlasts, yes. I know.“ the man cut him off. “However, they are both alone in a way, traumatised by their childhood and bystanders in the society, in a way. However, they bonded over that and I don’t think I have to explain to you, how close they are. In fact, perhaps you know more about them, than I do.“

Indeed he did. He had been shocked all those years ago, when he heard the two refer to one another as brothers, but by now, it was as normal, as the sun rising in the sky. Although, sometimes, their seriousness, formal and almost archaic way of speech _did_ surprise him. Kakashi was sure, that if Naruto’s parents were here, they would have questioned if the blonde was truly their son. Neither of them were the archaic or formal type.

Heh, Kushina-san despised formality, despite being a Clan Head herself. Heck, Minato-sensei hated it too and that was saying _something_ , since he’d been the Hokage! How had their _kid_ ended up being so formal and composed, Kakashi would never understand...

He nodded. “Yes, I know them. But... what do you hope to achieve by this, Hokage-sama?“

The Sandaime hummed for a moment. “Train them. Train them to be the _best_. Let them be the best individually. Let them be the best, the strongest tag team the Nations had seen. Train them to be better, than the Sannin. I know that between you and Yamato it’s not an impossible request to make.“

If Kakashi weren’t wearing his mask, his jaw would have been on the floor. To be better, than the Sannin...

Holy crap! The Sandaime wanted those two to be better, than the Sannin?! And how the hell were they meant to achive _that_? Sure, him and Yamato were skilled, but... but teaching...

A part of Kakashi was curious about the Sandaime’s reasons. Why did the man want those two trained so toughly? He had to have reasons, other, than the fact, that as a Jinchūriki, Naruto could be the village’s most dangerous trump card, or that Sasuke, with his powerful Sharingan – because Kakashi had felt the _power_ behind those eyes, – could be the village’s only saving grace, if Naruto ever lost control.

The man had to have reasons. But Kakashi didn’t ask. He didn’t ask, because the Sandaime had just given him (and Yamato) leave to train the boys the way they saw fit. The Sandaime had given them leave to give the boys all the skills and power they saw fit.

And Kakashi would do just that. He would teach those children well and give them the power and skill they would need. Because the world of shinobi was dangerous and bloody. You needed skill and power to survive. And he would make sure those boys _survived_.

If Kakashi had a say in things (and obviously he _did_ , as their sensei) those two would grow grey and old. Grey and old, like his father, Obito, Rin, Minato-sensei and Kushina-san had no chance to be.

“Do you still accept, Kakashi?“ the old man asked, a note of challenge in his tone.

Kakashi sallowed. But the Hokage trusted him. Trusted _them_ to do it. And those were Naruto and Sasuke they were talking about. He owed this to both.

“Hai, Hokage-sama.” he answered seriously, as he bowed.

* * *

Being Genin of the village meant getting a step closer to their goal. It meant they didn’t have to hold back so much. It was time to reveal their true colours.

So, they got new clothes as well.

Sasuke grinned, as he looked at Naruto. “You look good, Otōto.“

Naruto wore a mesh shirt with black shinobi pants and black open-toed sandals. He had a white, short-sleeved haori, like the one his father had worn. However, this one had different patterns. It had six black magatama around the collar and red swirl/wave like pattern on the bottom. The right sleeve had the Senju _varja_ on it, while the left had the Uzumaki swirl. Naruto’s forehead protector now had black band and it was tightly secured around his forehead, the two long stands of his blonde hair wrapped in bandages. He had a simple silver pendant hanging from his neck, which formed the Kanji for ‘nine‘. (And Naruto had jabbed _him_ in the ribs to be _subtle_.) The back of his haori had the moon-and-circle of the Ōtsutsuki Clan in black outline. He also had a brown utility belt, which held his weapons and scrolls.

Naruto hummed and mirrored his grin. “You aren’t bad yourself, Nī-sama.“

Sasuke wore a black shirt, its sleeves reaching his elbows, both sleeves having small red-white _uchiwas_ sewed into them. Above it, he had a white, high-collared vest with the six magatama around the collar. The back of the vest also dispayed the symbol of the Ōtsutsuki. He had black shinobi pants and dark blue sandals. His forehead protector had the standard dark blue cloth and it hung loosely around his neck. Two stands of his hair, framing his face were wrapped in bandages. He had blue paint under his eyes, the corners turned upwards. He’d also had a tantō hanging from his side, the rest of his weapos and scrolls were secured on the utility belt.

“Hn.“ he grunted, as he nodded towards the window. “I hope we’ll be on the same team, otherwise I’ll become a Missing-nin.“

“Nī-sama!“ Naruto scolded him, with a half-hearted glare. They jumped out to speed trough the rooftops towards the Academy.

* * *

As they walked into the classroom side by side, clad in their new attires, Sasuke could feel the curious gazes of all their batchmates. His fangirls shrieked and swooned, but he ignored them. They sat in their usual spots and waited for Iruka to arrive.

After a few minutes, Iruka arrived and asked the class to settle down. Predictably, no one heard him as everyone was chatting with someone, excited about the team placements. Sasuke’s gaze skidded trough the room and he did a quick count of those present. ‘ _The numbers don’t add up. Odd.‘_

“SETTLE DOWN!“ Iruka-sensei roared, using his Big Head Jutsu, obviously at the end of his patience. As the Chūnin moved, Sasuke noted the small stiffness in his movements. So he was still feeling that wound Mizuki gave him. (Sasuke wished he could have broken the bastrd’s nose. Naruto had told him, that Mizuki had badmouthed his parents and that was unforgivable in Sasuke’s eyes. Uzumaki Kushina was, after all, his godmother. And years ago, when they’d met the chakra imprints, the Yondaime had made it clear, that _he_ was part of their family too.)

Silenced and a bit cowed, the class quieted down. Iruka nodded, pleased and cleared his troath. “First and foremost, I would like to congratulate you for graduating. Secondly, I wish to tell you, that now you are shinobi of Konoha and once you leave this classroom, you will be considered adults. Act accordingly. Your actions reflect on your team, on your village. And most importantly, your actions may mean the difference between life and death. I wish you luck on your journey, as shinobi.”

Sasuke saw a few unsure glances between friends, some whispered softly about things he couldn’t catch, but nothing more.

“Now, on to team placements. I will name your teammates and your sensei in numerical order.”

Sasuke only half-listened, bored out of his mind. Iruka went from Team One to Team Twelve and _by the_ _Rikud_ _ō_! Neither him nor Naruto had been called out yet and he was begging to get worried, that they indeed will have to become missing-nin, to get somewhere, if they wanted to stop Kaguya and Zetsu...

“Team Thirteen is“ Iruka looked up, placing his paper on the desk, “ Uchiha Sasuke and Senju-Uzumaki Naruto. Boys, your sensei is Hatake Kakashi. Good luck to everyone. Your Jōnin instructors will come soon..”

“Wait a second!“ Kiba growled, obviously pissed. He pointed at them, “Why are they just two? Every other team has three members!”

Iruka sighed, but gave the Inuzaka a pointed look. “Indeed. But this was Hokage-sama’s decision, Kiba. Sasuke and Naruto, as a team. If you have a problem, you may raise your concerns to Hokage-sama himself.”

“W-wait, sensei. Did you say _Senju_?“ Ino asked, looking at them, then back at their teacher. “I thought only Tsunade-sama remained of the Senju Clan?“

Iruka nodded. “ _Hai_. I said Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.“

“But if you’re a Senju, Naruto...“ Choji said, looking their way, “why not use the name before?“

Naruto shrugged. “My father was of the Senju and he asked Sandaime-sama to shield me from those, who would seek to destroy what remained of the Clan. Surely, you noticed that the only one, who carries that name is Tsunade of the Sannin. That’s because she’s an accomplished kunoichi and they would not go after her. Hunting down a child is much easier.“

“But if you are a Senju, you aren’t an orphan.“ Shino said, creeping out a few, as they heard him speak. “Tsunade-sama, as your Clan Head, should be your guardian.“

Naruto nodded. “True, Shino. However, Tsunade-hime is unaware of my heritage and Sandaime-sama couldn’t track her, to tell her. He’s still looking for her. She had left the village shortly before I was born.“

Iruka cleared his troath and the class looked at him. “You should go and eat. Any questions you may have to Naruto, may be asked over food or after the team meetings. I wish you luck. Have a good day.”

“Good day.“ some murmured, as Iruka left.

Sasuke stood from his seat, just as the door shut behind the scarred man and some eyes turned to him. He ignored it, looking at his brother, his hand working on opening the window. “Are you coming, Otōto?“

Naruto flashed him a foxy grin. “Lead the way, Nī-sama.“

And with that, they leapt out of the classroom.

* * *

They walked back to the Academy after a delicious few blows of ramen. Sasuke had never been addicted to a food before. Not now, nor in their previous life. But he had to addmit, that the ramen the Ichirakus’ made _was_ addictive. He could understand, why Naruto called it the food of kami. (Not that he would addmit that to anyone, other than the blonde himself.)

Sasuke came to an abrupt halt, as he ran into his brother. Naruto had stopped, staring with wide, disbelieving eyes. Sasuke followed his line of sight and his own weaker sensory tingled at the familiar chakra.

It was a man in his twenties, with distinctive silver, gravity-defying hair. One black eye studied them, the other was covered by the slanted headband. The lower half of his face was covered by dark blue cloth mask and he wore standard Konoha Jōnin uniform.

The man seemed a bit surprised, then he waved at them, his eye crincling into an upside down U. Sasuke supposed it meant he was smiling. (Gods, this man was harder to read, than himself and his stoic kin, as Naruto was fond of saying. What he wouldn’t give for his brother’s enhanced sensory now! It was totally _unfair_ , that the Senju-Uzumaki could read people’s emotions. True, his senses were more sensitive to negative emotions, but he could generally tell positive ones as well, as long as the person he was reading was close enough.)

“Hello Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun. I was about to pick you up in the classroom, but this is even easier.“

Sasuke allowed a tiny upward quirk of his lips. The ANBU – specifically Inu and Tora – had grown on him too. Somewhere along the way, when he realised the two males cared for his baby brother/friend as much, as he did he started considering the two a part of their teeny, tiny family. The fact, that Tora and Inu’s chakra had a touch of Asura’s and his, might have also helped endear them, after he was over his anger.

“Inu-san.“ they greeted him, Naruto waving enthusiastically. Naruto started skipping over to the other and Sasuke shook his head at the antics. Naruto practically attached himself to the Jōnin, muttering about missing him. Not that Sasuke blamed him too much. In the past weeks, neither Tora, nor Inu had been among their watchers.

Naruto’s worry had become so unbearable, that once, Sasuke simply stopped Neko and asked her where the two others were. She’d laughed at their worry and told them they were doing other missions, but would be back soon and then she left, promising to pass their worries and well-wishes to the missing operatives.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and pried his brother off of the silver-haired Sharingan-user and gave the man a half-apologetic look. “Excuse my brother. We’ve been a bit worried, when you and Tora hadn’t turned up at the appartment for so long.“

“It’s quiet alright.“ the older said, ruffling their hair fondly. Sasuke gave the man a sharp look, but his answer was just another weird ‘eye-smile‘. “Now, let us settle on a nearby training ground for the introductions, shall we?“

* * *

Kakashi had not expected to be in a choke-hold, courtesy of an enthusiastic Naruto, the moment he met his new students. But it was nice to know the blonde cared for him. Kakashi glanced at the Memorial Stone and smiled under his mask.

‘ _Minato-sensei, Kushina-san, Obito. Can you see us now? I swear, I will take care of them.‘_ he woved, as he sat down, his back against a tree.

Kakashi studied the two, as they walked next to each other. Naruto was literally radiating excitement and happiness, however, he tried to remain composed and kept up with Sasuke. Sasuke was much calmer, but the earlier quirk of his lips told Kakashi, that the Uchiha was just as pleased to see him, as Naruto. (He briefly wondered, _when_ had he figuratively adopted the two into his tiny family, but he couldn’t pinpoint a moment in time.)

The boys choice of clothing was also a surprise. Naruto’s briefly reminded Kakashi of his sensei, while Sasuke’s was something that perhaps Shisui would have worn. He caught the paterns too. Interesting choice –he wondered what the magatama and the moon-circle sign on their backs was supposed to symbolise. And since _when_ did Sasuke have _paint_ under his eyes?!

The boys settled down and Kakashi cleared his troath. “So, let’s start with introductions. I know a lot about you two, having practically watched you grow up, but that doesn’t mean I know everything. Let’s see if you can say something new.“ he gave them an eye-smile. “But, since I haven’t even properly introduced myself, I will start.“

The boys glanced at each other an then nodded at him to continue. “So, I’m Hatake Kakashi, former student of the Yondaime Hokage. Formerly an ANBU Captain, now your Jōnin-sensei, if you prove yourself worthy. I like salt-broiled saury and eggplant-mixed miso soup, spending time with my nin-dogs and reading. I dislike fried foods or sweets and those, who leave their teammates behind. My dreams for the future? Hmm, it’s to make you two strong and make sure you _survive_.“

The boys nodded, showing that they’d listened. He’d seen Naruto’s eyes glimmer, when he mentioned his sensei. “Ne, Kakashi-san?“

“Yes, Naruto?“

“If you were taught by Otō-san...“he paused for a second. “Did you meet my mother too?“

Kakashi blinked. Naruto knew of his parents? The Sandaime hadn’t mentioned that, but now that converation about serious training made more sense. Naruto knew of his heritage and the Sandaime expected it to be known by others, sooner rather than later.

Kakashi chuckled, the many fond memories of the redhead coming back. “I did. I can tell you about them some other time, if you like. But, how do you know about your heritage?“

The boys shared a look. Sasuke nodded and the blonde turned back to him. “I tried to ruin the seal once.“ Kakashi’s blood ran cold. _What_ had the stupid village done, to nearly break someone like Naruto? “They left chakra imprints in the seal, so we met them, as I managed to drag Sasuke into by mind, too.“

“It was then, that I found out Naruto’s mother was my godmother.“ Sasuke injected.

Kakashi blinked. “Huh, that’s _new_. But not all that surprising. Kushina-san had been close to your mother. Actually, your parents had been close. Best friends, even, I could say.“ The boys smiled and that and Kakashi nodded at Naruto. “But, on with the introductions, please.“

Naruto grinned. “I’m Senju-Uzumaki Naruto. I like nature and gardening, spending time with Sasuke, training – Fūinjutsu is my favourite– and ramen. I don’t like people, who can’t make the difference between Bijū and Jinchūriki, as well as people who judge without knowing all the facts. Oh, and I really dislike those, who hurt my precious people. My dream for the future is to become Hokage and bring peace to the world – not necessarily in that order.“

Kakashi hummed. “Good. Sasuke, please.“

“My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I like meditating, reading, spending time with Naruto and training – especially Kenjutsu. My favourite foods are ramen and tomatoes. I dislike people, who can’t make the difference between Bijū and Jinchūriki. I also dislike sweets, traitors and those, who harm my precious people. My dream is to find a _certain man_ , help Naruto become Hokage and bring peace to the world – not necessarily in that order.”

The scarecrow nodded, studying the two boys. They’d surely grown up in an interesting way. They were so similar, yet different in other things, that they could pass for brothers. But, considering their way of address, it was nothing new. A random passer-by, who ignored their different looks, surely would call them brothers.

“Well, thank you for sharing all this. You are free for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, meet me here, at seven in the morning. I want to see your skills. Oh and don’t eat breakfast.”

The boys stood up and muttered their parting words, before leaping into the trees and leaving. Kakashi watched the with ever-growing curiousty.

Those two were indeed close. But were they close enough? If the Hokage realy wanted him to make a tag team out of these kids, than they had to be closer than average teammates, as they had no third member to fall back on, if everything went south.

They seemed like brothers, but even brothers could fight, like enemies, if they thought something was theirs and the other should not have it. For some reason, Kakashi feared Sasuke might fall into that –to try and turn against Naruto, if he saw a better opportunity. The way the Uchiha had mentioned finding Itachi – his tone had been cold and cutting,– set Kakashi on the edge.

 _‘Well, I will just have to see how they perform tomorrow.‘_ he thought with a shrug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always welcome :)


	9. Tag Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Kakashi thinks his students are too good for two Genin... (And Naruto had been in a low ranking at the Academy.)  
> What else can they do?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best... but I had to have this out of the way, to progress with the story.

Sasuke was absently walking trough the streets, wondering what to buy, so they could cook. Well, Naruto could – he had to addmit, he had never been a good cook. Well, not before. Now he was a bit better, but Naruto could work miracles. (If only the shops sold him normal quality products. Okay, not everyone was that bad, but some shopkeepers did sell him spoiled food.)

To avoid such problems, they’d made a routine. Sasuke did shopping, Naruto cooked and every other chore they switched about. It was a system that worked well – plus, if Naruto had a good day, his brother would be extra nice and do some _delicious_ dish with tomatoes.

So, Sasuke was on his way home from shopping, a small bag in his hand. His gaze absently wandered around, ignoring the civilians, who almost kissed the ground he walked on. He nodded to some of the shinobi whom he knew in passing and hurried towards Naruto’s appartment.

He stopped suddenly, when notincing movement close to an alley. He saw a flash of white again and started walking towards it curiously. When he reached the spot, where he’d seen the flash, he could hear soft whining. He put down his bag and followed the voice, as quietly as he could.

Behind a trashcan he saw a small puppy curled up, whining softly. He crouched down and reached out. The animal drew back, whining again and Sasuke stopped. “Sh, I just want to see you.“ he murmured, trying again. He wished Naruto was here – his Mokuton always did the trick, calming down anything and anyone (human, Bijū or animal). He slowly inched closer and picked up the puppy, studying it.

He had tiny black eyes, with light brown fur and white underbelly and a bushy tail. And it seemed the poor thing had also hurt a leg. The more he studied the puppy, the more he felt something familiar...

...oh yes, their dog! _Shiro_. He remembered Shiro protecting Asura and he had unlocked his Sharingan then...

And this puppy looked just like Shiro had – down to the last fluff of fur.

He slowly stroked the dog’s head, ignoring the filth sticking to his hand in the process. “Hn, your name’s _Shiro_ now. How about coming home with me to my brother?“

The puppy gave a small bark and Sasuke decided, that no matter what Naruto said, the ball of fluff would stay. But, considering how much this puppy looked like their previous Shiro, he had a feeling Naruto wouldn’t need much convincing.

Satisfied with his findings for the day, Sasuke grabbed the bag from the ground and headed home. He would have to make a small detour for dog food, but he had a feeling, the extra time would be worht it.

* * *

The next morning the boys walked into the training groud with full stomachs. And they were right on time – Sasuke hated being late and so, he dragged his brother out of bed, too. If they relied on Naruto’s sense of ‘five more minutes, we have time‘, they would forever be late _everywhere_.

(While Naruto used Sensory to get about in the appartment, unwilling to open his eyes just yet, Sasuke had used the time to feed Shiro and play with the energetic ball of fur. Shiro knew how to be _nice_ – Kurama should learn from him, Sasuke decided.)

Naruto’s eyes flickered around the empty training ground. Kakashi was not anywhere visible, but... “Come on, Kakashi-san!“ he called, shifting to look at a particular tree. “We know you’re already here. Don’t make us wait.“

A moment later the leaves rustled and their former ANBU guard dropped onto the ground in a crouch. “You’re realy a special case Naruto. You know that I was masking my chakra, correct?“

Naruto hummed. “Yes, but... I’m special, as you said. Due to my _abilities_ , I can hold the furball’s chakra and that, which gets past Otō-san’s seal, gets purified, in a way. That chakra enhances my senses. Sight, hearing and smell. Plus, that same chakra provides me a link to him. He can sense the negative energies and due to the link, I can too.“ he grinned. “So... you can try to hide all you want, you won’t be able to run away.“

Kakashi grunted. “Good to know. If you impress me and we’re realy becoming a team, remind me of the stronger senses. The Hatake Clan worked with dog summons for generations too and we have heightened senses as well. Not as sharp, as an Inuzaka’s, but close. I can help you train with it.”

The blonde grinned. “Alright. So... what’s it you want us to do?“

Kakashi took the bell out and showed it to the boys. “Get the bell from me. And whichever of you wins gets food and becomes my student.“ he explained, pointing at a bento waiting in the base of the tree.

The boys eyes flickered to the bento, but much to Kakashi’s surprise, their stomachs remained silent. “You ate breakfast.“ he observed. They nodded and he glared. “Shinobi Rule One. Always follow orders.“

Sasuke matched his gaze without a flinch. “ _No_. Shinobi Rule One, Look underneath the underneath. Shinobi Rule Two, always follow orders, useless those are to hinder your performance or they are to endanger you or your teammates.“

Kakashi looked at the Uchiha in surprise. Had the kid memorised the rules inside out, or _what_? Usually, this was something the new Genin didn’t know and fell for. These two hadn’t. They were indeed something else. Perhaps the Hokage had seen it? Had seen that these two could be something, that hadn’t been seen since Hashirama and Madara? (The Shodaime and the Uchiha Patriarch had been the deadliest duo in the village history before Madara defected and the shinobi world hadn’t seen such a duo ever since.)

“Well, whoever gets the bell, becomes a Genin.“ he said, letting the small silver trinket jingle softly.

Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other, before both of them crossed their arms and shook their heads. “ _We quit_.“ they said in perfect sync. It sent a shiver down Kakashi’s spine.

Then, their words made sense and his eyes went wide. “W-what? You don’t just quit...“

“We do.“ Naruto pouted. “You either take both of us, as your students...“

“...or neither of us.“ Sasuke finished. “We don’t leave each other behind. Friends and brothers, no matter what. So either both of us, or neither of us.“

“But, the village might be upset then.“ Naruto continoued his eyes narrowing and he started leaking some Killing Intent. “Either the Jinchūriki or the last Uchiha refusing to become shinobi. A big loss to the military of the village. And they would blame _you_ , Hatake-san.“

Kakashi blinked owlishly. Were... were these two _treathening_ him? They had the balls to treathen an ex-ANBU, who could kill them in a single move?

“Are you treathening me?“ he asked.

“No.“ Sasuke said, “We stated a simple fact.“ then suddenly both boys leapt back, as if there had been a singn he hadn’t seen and did a few handseals. **“Kanton: G** **ōkaky** **ū no Jutsu!“** (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique) Sasuke called.

 **“** **Fūton: Daitoppa!”** (Wind Release: Great Breaktrough) he heard Naruto call.

Suddenly, Sasuke’s moderately-sized fireball become much, much larger, the flames burning white-hot, as the combined thing headed towards him. Kakashi cursed under his breath and dodged. He watched with wide eyes, as the jutsu tore trough the trees, scorching the ground. _Holy...!_ And those had been two C-rank techniques... How much chakra did they put into those?

He didn’t have much time to think on that, because Sasuke descended on him, with Taijutsu. He was good and the fact, that the three tomoe spun in his eyes meant some advantage to him. Sure, Kakashi knew how the Sharingan worked and he could counter it... but if Naruto did a sneak attack or something of the sort, he might forget himself... _‘No, don’t think like that. They’re two Genin.‘_

Kakashi dodged Sasuke’s next attack and kicked the Uchiha backwards. Sasuke cursed, but kept a cool head. Even before Kakashi could think about riling him up, Naruto came at him. The blonde’s Taijutsu was also good, but Kakashi had to pay more attention, as Naruto seemed to be using his own style, instead of using one Kakashi was familiar with.

Kakashi tried sweeping Naruto’s feet from below him, but the blonde jumped over his leg and instead aimed a punch at him with his right hand. Kakashi raised his left and caught it and grunted at the force of the blow – it even sent him skidding back a few inches. Did Naruto use chakra to enhance his blows?

He sensed the danger, rather then saw it. He shoved Naruto away and the Uzumaki staggered back. Kakashi turned and pulled out a kunai to deflect the hail of shuriken Sasuke had sent his way. Just as he sent the last projectile off its track, he felt the ground rumble beneath him. He jumped upwards, using a small burst of chakra, just as golden kunai burst from the ground... no, not kunai. _Chains_.

His gaze flickered to Naruto who had a smile on his face. **“Uzumaki Hiden: Kongō Fūsa!”** (Uzumaki Secret Technique: Adamantine Sealing Chains)

Shit! Freaking Uzumaki... and their freakish chakra and seals! One of the chains caught his leg and yanked him downwards.

 **“Katon: Karyū Endan!“** (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet)

Kakashi cursed whoever had allowed Uchiha Sasuke near anything Katon-related. That was a freaking B-ranked jutsu! _B-rank wasn’t for Genin, for kami’s sake!_ Kakashi went trough a set of seals, glad that Naruto’s chain only caught his leg. Any more hold for that thing and it would have hindered him in moulding chakra.

 **“Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu!“** (Water Release: Water Bullet Technique) he spit out some bullets of water. The two opposing elements collided, cancelling each other out and leaving a cloud of steam. He felt the chain untangle and he stumbled to the ground ungracefully.

 **“Suiton: Mizurappa!“** (Water Release: Wild Water Wave)

 **“Raiton: Raiky** **ū!“** (Lightning Release: Lightning Ball)

He cursed, as the combined move cut trough the last remants of the steam. Who had taught these kids so many jutsu? And who the _hell_ had allowed them to learn this good teamwork? Kakashi was all for teamwork, but this was _ridiculous_!

He dodged the electrocuted wave of water and he watched as it left a moderate crater in the ground.

Some shinobi needed months of training –even those, were on the same team – to get so good at combining moves. But, it was as if the boys chakra resonated with each other, working like a magnet and when they wanted it, their moves would merge to create even deadlier combinations.

He shifted his gaze back and found the boys waiting for him to move, both of them having weapons at the ready. Sasuke had two kunai and Naruto was cracking his knuckles, with a shit eating grin on his face.

They were good, Kakashi had to addmit.

“Try this!“ Naruto cried, and then slammed his fist into the ground. The earth cracked from the force of it (gods, the brat hit like Tsunade-sama!) and then, to his utter bafflement spikes of wood formed around him **“Mokuton: Yuki: Ibaranomori!”** (Wood Release: Oil Tree: Forest of Thorns)

The thorns rose above his head and met a meter or so above him, cutting the chances of escape. Kakashi growled and started to mould his chakra...

“I would _not_ set that thing on fire, if I were you, sensei.“ Sasuke spoke, almost smugly. “As you know, water flows trough small veins in each and every living tree.“

“That one, instead of water, has _oil_.“ Naruto said with a smirk. “Try burning it to escape and you give yourself a painful death.“

Kakashi glared at the boys and dropped the handsign and released the chakra, which he had planned to turn into flames, to burn the wood away. (At least now, he understood _why_ the Hokage said Tenzo would join, as a co-teacher.)

He glared at the two boys from his spot, not even willing to touch the thorns surrounding him. “You little _monsters_. Little _Ch_ _ūnin monsters_ , parading as Genin.“

Sasuke smiked and Naruto laughed, as he formed a Snake seal and spiked his chakra. With a great rumble, the wooden spikes sunk back into the ground. Making sure there was no wood where it shouldn’t be, Kakashi inched away from where he had been previously trapped.

“So, senei, are you satisfied with our level of teamwork?“ the Uchiha asked, the amused expression never leaving his face.

“ _Yes_.“ Kakashi grunted.

What the _hell_ these two had been doing in the Academy so long? (And how the hell was Naruto in the lower half of the class, preformance-wise?) They should have been out a while ago and should be Chūnin by now...

He didn’t even want to know, what else the two were capable of, but if Naruto showed up tomorrow, playing with one of his father’s special kunai, Kakashi would have to believe, that the little _meneace_ had broken down the space-time seal and _knew_ how to use that technique...

“Congratulations, Team Thirteen. You didn’t get the bell, but you demonstrated perfect teamwork. You pass. Meet me here every weekday at seven, useless you get different instructions. Starting tomorrow, I’ll take your training into my hands and between the sessions, we will complete missions.“

Their eyes glinted with triumph and excitement and Kakashi could barely stop himself from rubbing his hands together and cackling evilly. _‘Soon, magots. Soon, you will know the horros of D-ranks and it will be my payback for today.‘_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About Shiro:  
> \- Shiro is the puppy owned by Indra and Asura, until he died protecting Asura from a boar. Indra awakened his Sharingan then  
> \- Shiro was the dog Sasuke and Itachi in Tsunade´s MugenTsukuyomi dream (who was once saved from drowining by Naruto)
> 
> What do you think, what should the boys' summon animals be? I would give them something non-canon, but I have no ideas. Suggestions?


	10. The First Steps

Sasuke climbed out of bed at the crack of dawn and poked Naruto in the ribs, earning himself an angry grunt, which the Uchiha was sure translated to something like ‘get lost I need my beauty sleep‘. The Uchiha sighed and poked the blonde again.

“Out of the bed with you, Otōto. We have training to get trough.“

“An’s not star’ing till se’en.“ the blonde muttered out, this time in a more comprehensive manner, but only sligthly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Kakashi has no idea, who we are. Or were. Whichever, cause it’s hard to make the difference between past and present identity, nowadays.“

“Wha‘ do’s tha‘ h’ve to do wi’h any’ing?“ he shifed in bed and burried himself deeper in blankets.

“What does _that_ have to do with anything?“ Sasuke demanded, annoyed at his brother’s blatant ignorance of their situation. _‘Breath. Calm down.‘_ he told himself. _‘It’s too early in the morning to burn down anything.‘_

“It means we have a few hundreds of years of mess to clean up! It means there’s a madman to stop, from suceeding with the Shinju’s revival. And _... kami forbid_ , if the bastard suceeds, we will have to fight _her_! So I think we need training, because neither of us are on such level. You can’t use Varuna, because you only have Kurama here, but you can’t even form _Sūsenju_ and I can’t hope to even summon a skeletal Susanno’o, much less the Full Body version. In short, we are like babies against her and Otō-sama and Hamura oji-sama are _not_ here, nor will they be here, to deal with _her_!“

Naruto huffed and sat up. “So much for sleep... But then again, shinobi sleep in their graves, huh? Wait _no_ , that _doesn’t_ work for us, either!“ he glared at the Uchiha.

Sasuke shrugged. “If we let her _win_ , you won’t have to be worried about another possible reincarnation, because there will not be even a _world_ for us to reincarnate into and you know it.“

Naruto grunted. “I _so_ hate when you are right, Nī-sama.“ with that, he navigated to the kitchen with half-open eyes, while Sasuke went to wash and dress.

* * *

When Kakashi arrived at their newly claimed training ground, his two students were already there. And they weren’t just _there_ , they were already fightning. They were _fast_ for newly graduated Genin – and he could see, as they strategised, trying to outmanouver the other.

Sasuke was nimble, trying to use the Sharingan’s abilities to predict Naruto and plan several steps ahead. His style was wilder, more agressive.

Naruto seemed to come up with things on the fly – but _no_ , there was a pattern there. Altough he did try to adapt to Sasuke’s own slight changes and tricks. Naruto’s style was also fast, but it was based more on stamina and defence. It reminded Kakashi more of the Uzumaki style of Taijutsu, rather than Minato-sensei’s fast-paced, plan-three-steps-ahead-in-thee-different-situations kind of strikes.

Sasuke smirked and a kick hit Naruto in the shoulder. Kakashi winced under his mask, as the blonde went flying. But before the impact, the Uzumaki still managed to shift a bit, so he got the least possible damage out of the landing. Kakashi sighed in relief – altough, for a moment, he stopped to think and asked himself, _where_ had one of the Academy’s weakest students learned to fall in such a way.

You had to learn to fall, too... every shinobi did, if they wanted to stay on the field for more, than a few years. But that wasn’t a trick the Academy taught overly well. It was something _he_ , as their Jōnin-sensei, should have taught them.

Naruto spit out some blood and wiped his chin, looking at Sasuke, who stood a few feet away, obviously analising the situation. “Nice hit, Nī-sama, but you know what people say to things like this?“

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, his face mostly remaining unchanged, but Kakashi saw, as he instinctively slipped into a defensive stance. “No. What do they say?“

“Payback’s a bitch.“ he said and Kakashi saw, as the blonde gathered chakra into his fist, causing a soft glow of blue to appear around it, before he slammed it onto the ground. The hit tore up the ground and some of the uncontrolled chakra lashed out, causing even more damage.

Sasuke went flying and Kakashi cursed, as he too, channeled chakra into his soles and leapt back. So Naruto _did_ truly study Tsunade-sama’s fighting style and he was trying to imitate it. (Imitate the Shodai _and_ Tsunade-sama, to be precise, as he had heard, that the Sannin had changed her gandfather’s fighting style, to fit her better.)

And he was getting with it somewhere, but it was not perfect. Naruto’s chakra control wasn’t as good, as he would need it to be... _‘Note to self, get the advanced chakra control exercises from the ANBU Medics. Raccon owes me one anyway.‘_

Sasuke cursed and Kakashi moved. A quick _Shunshin_ later, he was there to catch his student, but the force of the impact sent both of them tumbling onto the ground. Kakashi groaned, as he sat up. Sasuke was spawled next to him.

“Are you alright, Sasuke?“ he asked, concern sneaking into his voice.

The Uchiha huffed and slowly sat up. “Yes.“ he graoned. “ _Gods_ , Naruto needs more chakra control.“

Kakashi was about to voice his agreement, when he noticed how Sasuke looked. He didn’t seem tired, per se, but his clothes were sweaty and pretty battered. The Uchiha stood up and offered a hand to help him up. Kakashi blinked in surprise –he hadn’t expected Sasuke to extend a helping hand,– and stood with his student’s help.

“Hey, are you two alright?“ Naruto asked, concern flickering trough his violet eyes.

“Yes, we are.“ Kakashi said, noting that Naruto looked just as bad, as Sasuke. Now he was sure it hadn’t just been a warm up spar they’d started ten minutes ago.

“Naruto.“ Kakashi called sternly. He wasn’t a medic, but he knew that enhancing one’s blows with chakra was dangerous, if they didn’t have the necessary chakra control and it was obvious, that Naruto wasn’t there yet.

“Yes, sensei?“ the haunting Uzumaki eyes landed on him. Looking into them Kakashi felt like he was facing a grown man, instead of facing a Genin. (Oh, how he hated the village in this moment! To force boys like Naruto and Sasuke to grow up much faster, than needed.)

“You are forbidden from using that technique.“

Naruto’s eyes went wide. “ _But_...!“

Kakashi raised a hand, silencing the blonde with a look. “If you use chakra enhanced strenght without the proper control, it’s dangerous for you and your sparring partner as well. It’s commendable, that you are trying to honour your Senju heritage by picking up Hashirama-sama’s style...“ – here, the boys looked at each other, Sasuke even snorting a bit and Kakashi had a feeling the two were laughing at him in the privacy of their minds,– “but it’s more harm than good, without proper chakra control. Now... I’m not one against you honouring your heritage, so I won’t tell you to use a different style. Instead, use it _less,_ for now. I’ll be sure to bring a few advanced exercises, that the medics use to practice and keep their control in check. If you master those, your control should be good enough, despite your ridiculously large reserves, to use blows like the last one.“

Naruto grinned and nodded. “I like the idea.“

Kakashi hummed, satisfied that the blonde was willing to listen. He was much more calmer, than Kakashi thought he’d be – he was a happy spirit, filled with optimism, like his mother, but calm and calculating when need be, just like his father. In short, a kind of person whom was a joy to teach, even if he needed a bit more time.

His eye trailed over both of them and he gave Saske a sharp look, knowing that Naruto would just brush his questions off. “ _How_ long have you been here, before I arrived?“

Sasuke shared a quick look with the Senju-Uzumaki, before giving a small shrug. “We started an hour ago.“

Kakashi almost doubled over. If they’d been here at six, they had to wake up... at about _five_... Kakashi shivered. He hated waking up so early. Of course, there were times when he woke at such time and there were times, when he was already working, when the clock hit five... but that was the life of an ANBU. (Waking up early was the only thing Kakashi had hated about being an ANBU.)

To think Genin would sacrifice sleep – children _loved_ sleeping, from what he knew!– for extra training, was a new concept. Why would they do it? He glanced at both. “Why would you be so determined to train?“

The boys shared another look and Kakashi had a feeling, that they had an entire conversation with that look. An entire conversation, which he wasn’t privy to. He had yet to meet Genin, _children_ , who were this close to one another.

“Being a shinobi is a responsibility.“ Naruto said, his voice serious. “A responsibility, that cannot be taken lightly.”

“And we need to be skilled,“ Sasuke continued, “powerful and responsible too, if we want our dreams to come true.”

Kakashi stood there, gazing at the boys, needing a moment to process what he’d heard. These two... these two, that stood before him weren’t children and it had been his mistake, to treat them, as such. These two were like grown men, aware of what life had in store for them, good and bad alike.

(Well, it seemed he had gotten lucky. Kurenai, Asuma and the other senseis all bitched about bratty kids, who thought the life of shinobi to be a game, full of glitter and glory. Kids, who needed a reality check. At least, Naruto and Sasuke were aware of _what_ was waiting for them outside these gates and were willing to give sweat and blood to survive, once there.)

Kakashi sighed. “It seems, I’d underestimated your drive and willingness to sacrifice things, to be true shinobi. You are the good students the others would kill for. In this case, let me be a good sensei. Yamato and I, will work on a training schedule for you, which will help you improve your skills and teamwork. We will work to help you two improve the best ways and in the shortest amount of time possible.“

They nodded, excitement and curiousty shining in their eyes. They seemed pleased with his words. “I think we can work with that.“ Sasuke said at last with a small nod.

Kakashi hummed. “I thought so. But, this means no extra, secret training.“ he said, giving them pointed glares. “I want to know about every kunai you throw, from now on. If I – or Yamato– say that it’s time to take a break, you take a break. If we say you run another lap, _you run another lap_ without asking _why_. Is that clear?“

“Hai, sensei.“ they answered, their lips curling upwards.

They were really the strangest kids he’d ever met... he’d just told them they’d be ran to the ground in the future and they were _happy_ about it.

“Now,“ the dog summoner murmured, “Let’s have a look at any injuries you might have, before we do anything else.”

* * *

It was at the end of their first week as Team Thirteen, when Yamato joined them on the training ground, just after the usual midday break.

“Boys, come here for a second.“ Kakashi called, after he was done with the friendly small talk.

The two closed their bentos and walked over. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, as he saw Yamato and Naruto immedately lit up, like a miniature sun.

Those two were so different. Sasuke was quiet and solitary most of the time, reserved even when showing his brotherly affection to Naruto. Naruto on the other hand, was bright, friendly and exitable, sometimes even clingy. Mostly clingy towards Sasuke, which sometimes seemed to annoy the Uchiha. Yet, for some odd reason, Sasuke never acted on that annoyance outright, only teased Naruto afterwards. Seriously, if Kakashi would have needed to use a comparison, he would have called Sasuke the moon and Naruto the sun. (Always together, unable exist without the other, creating a harmony trough their polar opposition. An _odd_ pair, yes, but he could not see them any other way, just side by side.)

“Boys, this is...“

“Tora.“ Sasuke nodded in greeting, a small grin on his face. “Pleased to meet you.“

“Tora-san!“ Naruto shouted, hurrying over to hug Yamato.

Yamato blinked in shock, looking down at Naruto, than back at him. Kakashi chuckled. “He did the same to me.“ he admitted quietly.

Yamato smiled and patted Naruto on the head, obviously unsure how to deal with the excitable blonde. After a minute, Naruto released Yamato and took a few steps back to stand next to Sasuke. ( _Hell_! Now that Kakashi looked at them, _realy looked_ _–_ with the pevious comparison in mind, _–_ even their colours were opposites. Naruto’s golden blonde hair was like the sun and his bright violet eyes, with shades of blue, if the light was just right, like the early morning sky, while Sasuke’s dark colours reminded Kakashi of various parts of the night.)

Yamato smiled. “So you remember me.“

Sasuke gave a small humm. “Naruto’s even better at sensory, than I am... but you have a _memorable_ signature, you know. I only feel that from Naruto.“

Yamato nodded in undertanding. “Hokage-sama told me and no Naruto-kun, I’m not a Senju, unlike you. How I’ve come to have the Mokuton has a story. A story for another time, if you don’t mind.“

The boys shared a look and then nodded. “We won’t judge, if you decide to share.“ Sasuke muttered, “We all have demons to deal with and regrets to live with. Things we wish hadn’t happened, yet cannot be changed...“

“... things we wish could come undone, yet it will never be.“ Naruto said, as the boys’ gazes met for a second. “So, we just live with what we have, trying to make the best out of it.“

Not for the first time since the boys had become his students, Kakashi had a feeling, that _there was more behind those words_ , than the story of a massacre survivor and an ostracised Jinchūriki.

As he shared a look with Yamato, Kakashi couldn’t help, but ponder _what_ that story might be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this was fine. Please leave comments :3
> 
> Also, Kakashi THINKS Naruto is copying Hashirama/Tsunade, but in fact, he is just using his personal style from his previous life, which also includes enhancing some of his strikes with chakra.


	11. First Blood

Sasuke crouched on the branch, his Sharingan burning, as he waited for their target to arrive.

 _“This is Inu here.“_ the voice came trough the walkie-talkie. _“Are you in position?“_

 _“Tora in position.“_ a second voice answered. Even trough the line, Sasuke could tell the man was annoyed. For the past twenty minutes, they tried finish this, but to no avail. This little **_otherworldly monster_** dodged even the two Jōnin. How it managed, Sasuke would never understand.

 _“Asura in position.“_ his brother’s voice answered. _“Chase the little monster towards me.“_

Sasuke snorted a bit, before giving his own report. _“Indra in position and... I see the target.“_

 _“Perfect.“_ ‘Tora‘ said. _“Ready... go!“_

Sasuke leapt from his tree with chakra, just as Yamato gave the sign. As the hellcat saw him, it hissed and leapt into another direction. Even before it could escape, Kakashi and Yamato both revealed themselves, blocking another paths of escape. The little beast nimbly evaded them all –ah, this was so emberassing! He’d been called the third strongest person, at the dawn of Ninshū and a _cat_ was toying with him!– bolting straight for their fourth member.

Suddenly –and most importantly, _before_ the cat could do anything,– golden chains broke the surface of the ground, binding the little beast in place. It yowled, trying to get away and much to Sasuke’s (and all of the Team’s, in fact) eternal glee, it failed.

Naruto laughed, as he came from his hiding spot. “Trash all you want, little monster. Those chains held _the K_ _yūbi_ for decades. You will not break them.“

Yamato stopped next to him and looked at Naruto. “So, Naruto. Another practice. Use your Mokuton to calm the cat.“

Naruto muttered something about the cat not deserving such kindness (very uncharacteristic of him, but Sasuke did agree) and sat in front of the cat, out of the reach of its claws. Sasuke wondered, if those sharp things were made of adamantine, for when the monster had caught him in the first few minutes, it surely felt like when Naruto’s chains cut his skin.

Naruto flared his chakra, carefully. Kakashi had kept his promise and he’d brought some advanced control exercises, which Naruto practiced every day for hours, with the help of a few Shadow Clones. Yamato had also helped Naruto get ‘better control‘ of the Mokuton. Honestly, Sasuke thought that most of this mess they were in, training wise, could be avoided, if only the two men knew, who they were... but _no_. They would be called mad or who knows what else.

When the cat finally calmed down, Naruto grinned.

* * *

Team Thirteen stood in the Hokage’s office, having just reported the sucess of their ‘Capture Tora‘ mission and giving the poor cat back to its owner. Naruto, being Naruto had taken pity on the hellish feline and instead of letting the Fire Daimyo’s wife walk out, he stopped the woman and explained to her, how she should handle the cat.

The Daimyo’s wife smiled brightly at the blonde, as she saw her precious Tora calm down and purring in her arms. “Tell me your name, son.“ the woman smiled. “I would definitely have a word with your parents, over how a wonderful child they have.“

Naruto smiled sadly. “The name’s Senju-Uzumaki Naruto, ma’am. My parents were Uzumaki Kushina and Senju-Namikaze Minato, but as you know, they are dead.“

The woman seemed taken aback. “Oh, _my_! Of course I know what happened. I’m sorry for bringing it up. And... I didn’t know the Yondaime had been a Senju.“

Naruto shook his head. “He hadn’t known either, from my undertanding. And you couldn’t have known, who I was, so no harm done.“

The woman brought Naruto into an unexpected hug. A minute later she pulled away. “Well, you did me a great favour with Tora-chan and we owe a lot to your parents. If not for them, Konoha wouldn’t be. Such things are not forgotten in the capital either. Shall you need assistance with something, have the Hokage write me, Naruto-kun.“

Naruto gave the woman a charming smile, as she placed the mission payment right into his hands. He bowed to her. “Arigato, Madame Shijimi.“

As the happy woman left, everyone stated wide-eyed at the blonde. Naruto looked confused at all the disbelieving stares the Hokage, his senseis and the other workers were giving him. “What?“

Sasuke snorted and then actually burst into laughter, surprising many. “Not even _you_ can be _that_ dense, Otōto.“

Naruto scowled and glared. “You’re being _mean_ again, Nī-sama and I don’t even know what’s your problem!“

Sasuke shook his head, regaining his composure, but amusement shone in his charcoal eyes. “Naive, _naive_ Otōto. Grow up a bit, if you ever want to walk in Senju footsteps, ne? That was the Daimyo’s wife and she just gave you a _free_ favour. Guessing by it, that favour goes not only to her, but to the Daimyo himself.“

Naruto looked sheepish, as he scratched the back of his neck, remining many of the older shinobi present of the Yondaime. “Uh, huh _hoopsie_?“

Sasuke groaned. “How?“ he groaned in exasperation again, looking at the ceiling. “ _How_ in the name of the Rikudō can you be _my brother_?“ (A female ANBU squeeled ‘Naruto-kun is a naive kawaii cinnamon roll‘ from the shadows, earning herself a Sharingan glare, from the present Uchiha.)

Many present wondered what had become of the world, if a Senju-Uzumaki and an Uchiha openly called one another brothers (the younger even being _formal!_ ), where all the village could hear.

Kakashi turned away, looking at the Hokage, trying to be the saving grace of the team. “Excuse their antics, Hokage-sama. I would be requesting a higher ranked mission, as I believe they are both ready.“

The Hokage seemed thoughtful for a moment, before nodding. “I believe you, Kakashi. Call the client!“ the elderly leader said, raising his voice.

Two minutes later an elderly man walked in with short grey hair, wearing glasses. He wore a sleeveless v-neck shirt with an obi, pants and a pair of sandals. He also had a pointed hat and a white towel around his neck. There was a liquor bottle in his hand. Naruto wrinkled his nose at the penetrating smell of saké coming from the man.

“I’m Tazuna, the master bridge builder from the Land of Waves. Where are the ninja I’ve hired?“

“These shinobi will escort you home, Tazuna-san.“ the Hokage said, pointing at Team Thirteen. Tazun seemed pleased for a second, but then his dark eyes landed on Naruto and Sasuke.

“Children? Children will be protecting me? That blonde midget...“

“ _Children,_ who are capable of _maiming_ you.“ Sasuke growled, his eyes flashing with the Sharingan in a silent treath. “Say a bad word about my brother, _drunk_ and you will regret it.“

“Now, now, Sasuke. No treathening the client, please.“ Yamato said, putting a hand on the Uchiha’s tense shoulder.

Said Uchiha just scowled, as Kakashi gave them the orders to be ready tomorrow morning.

* * *

Sasuke’s eyes wandered around the surroundings, searching for any sign of bandits. Just before they’d left the village Naruto told him that he had a bad feeling about this mission – he had felt Tazuna’s unstable emotions the day before, however he couldn’t tell if they were because of the man being drunk or becaue he was trying to hide something.

So, now both of them were tense, expecting the unexpected, as a shinobi should. They just barely crossed the tree line, when Naruto signed him – it wasn’t ANBU sign language, that their teachers could read. Instead, it was the old, childish sing language from their first life.

 _Boar_ , Naruto signed, eyes flickering to the side.

Sasuke understood. After Shiro’s deah – and the activation of his Sharingan, – boar was their synonym for danger. Sasuke’s own eyes wandered about and he soon spotted the puddle by the side of the road. He sensed the chakra pooled there – illusion.

Still, he walked past, pretending to have not noticed it. There were two ninja hiding under the illusion and their chakra levels were just a bit higher, than his. They just barely passed the puddle, when the Genjutsu dispersed and the enemy jumped out.

Chains rattled and they sent the heavy metal flying towards Kakashi. The two Genin didn’t move. Kakashi was gone in a well-timed Kawarimi. “One down.“ the shorter of the two masked shinobi declared. (Well, to be precise, those weren’t masks they wore, but rebreathers.) They wore Kiri headbands.

One of the claws were detached and the second, who still had it on his hand, sent it flying with a yank. Yamato was gone too, but Sasuke wasn’t too worried. “Two down.“ the second declared smugly.

Naruto raised his hand in a Ram seal and chakra chains formed around Tazuna, enclosing the bridge builder in a protective bubble of gold-and-blue. Not having to worry about a stray weapon hitting the civilian, Sasuke grabbed a kunai and charged it with lightning chakra. As the two assulted them, Sasuke dodged the first strike, using the kunai to snap the chain connecting the two enemy shinobi.

As he hurriedly turned, he saw that Naruto had already engaged the other in a fierce clash of Taijutsu.

“You’re mine.“ Sasuke said, Sharingan already burning, as he attacked the taller man. The man slashed at his face and Sasuke dodged, crouching down to sweep the man’s legs from under him. The enemy jumped over it and slashed out with his metal claw. The Uchiha leant back to avoid it and then shifted, slashing out with the chakra-charged kunai.

The weapon hit, right into the Kiri-nin’s shoulder. Blood splashed forth and the dark eyes narrowed, as blood stained the already dark clothing even darker.

“ _N_ _ī-san!_ “ someone called, but Sasuke froze, as some of the enemy’s blood landed on his hands. And, as the three tomoe in his eyes spun, for a moment, Sasuke was elsewhere, finghting a different battle.

_The terrain around them was nothing but charred ruins by now. All traces of life had long disappeared – the animals had fled during the first few clashes and the more jutsu they aimed at one another, the more they damaged the surrounding flora. Not that Indra cared too much for the flora and fauna of the place. He snarled, as he saw Asura stand up._

_The Bij_ _ūs’ chakra had faded a while ago, only leaving a small shimmer of gold around the younger’s body. Indra himself was getting more and more tired. The fight had been going on for hours and Asura was still clinging to power, still clinging to consciousness well enough to fend off the strikes meant to kill._

_“Time to fininsh this.” he growled, tightening his hold on his katana, as he leapt forwards._

_Asura met him and matched him strike for stike. In fact, he was slowly getting the upper hand, as his stikes had more strenght behind them. Metal scraped on metal, as he yanked his blade away, instinctively channeling lightning chakra trough it. Asura’s own weapon glowed green with wind chakra and as the weapons met, he felt more and more resistance._

_But then... there was a moment of lapse, a misstep in his bother’s moves and that was all Indra needed. He channeled more of his chakra into the blade, making it crackle with small blue-purple lightning and thurst it forwards. Blood gushed from the wound, taining Asura’s white garments a bright crimson. Blood splashed onto his own white kimono and onto his hand._

_But, before he could feel triumphant, that he had finally won – that with Asura gone, he could finally have what was meant to be his,– he felt Asura’s body jolt from the force of his lightning and then, pain. Sharp, shredding pain as if something tore at his insides..._

_He looked down and saw, that with the last ounce of his strenght, Asura drove his wind-coated blade trough his side. Blood pulsed from the wound, with every beat of his heart, tainting his own clothing, just like his brother’s._

_Indra tore his gaze from his wound and looked at his brother. Asura’s dark brown eyes were dark and hard, yet still pleading. “ Nī-sama_ _...“ Asura rasped out. “You promised.”_

_Indra’s eyes went wide and he looked down. His hand was red and sticky with blood, still wrapped around the tsuba of his katana._

_Blood. His hands were red with blood. His brother’s blood._

_Asura’s blood._

_His hands were tainted with his most hated – most beloved brother’s blood._

**_Kinslayer_ ** _, a sinister voice sneered in his mind. For a brief moment, panic took hold of him, as the weight of their actions finally hit him, with the force of a God_ _ōdama._

_Asura was dying because of him. His brother. They had made up, hadn’t they? They were now together again, side by side, right? And he had killed his brother?!_

_No, Asura! No, no, no....!_

“...ke!“

“ _Sasuke!_ “ and then someone slapped him.

Sasuke jolted back to reality, his Sharingan fading and he found himself face to face with Naruto. There was blood on the blonde and Sasuke’s own hands were bloody... no, _no_! Wide-eyed, he staggered back from Naruto.

“No...“ he rasped, barely able to breath, “I hadn’t... I didn’t... we promised...“ he choked, shaking.

“Sasuke, _look at me_.“ Naruto said, his voice steely and gentle at the same time. Slowly, Sasuke looked at the other. Black met violet. “You’re on the border of Nami and Hi no Kuni. With Yamato, Kakashi, Tazuna and me. Can you follow?“

Sasuke tried settling all that he heard. _Nami no Kuni._ _Not_ the forest on the border of So no Kuni. ( _Not_ miles away from where once the Ōtsutsuki Compound stood, which he had burned down...)

“I’m here, Nī-sama. _Breath_.“

Sasuke took a small breath and then another. Then another. One. Two. Three... Slowly, he got his bearings and felt Naruto’s warm chakra wrap around him, like a blanket. As he calmed down, all the energy seemed to leave his body and he couldn’t help, but lean into the blonde a bit more.

“I’m sorry, Otōto.“ he murmured. “Kinslayer... I never wanted to be...“

“Hush, now.“ Asura murmured. “I’m here. It wasn’t me. It wasn’t my blood. You stopped an enemy from hurting us. _That was not me_.“

Sasuke shuddered with relief. He hadn’t broken his promise _again_.

* * *

They had made camp instead of pressing forwards. What little remained of the journey, would be done tomorrow. Sasuke was still shaken and unable to focus, so most of the camp making had been Naruto’s doing – or rather, the work of his clones.

The Senju-Uzumaki refused to leave his best friend and brother alone. Not after such a thing. He didn’t know what exactly had Sasuke seen, but it wasn’t needed. He understood, that the situation had for some reason, brought forth the Uchiha’s bloodier memories of their clashes, coupled with his guilt.

Now, with the camp done and food cooking over the fire, the five of them were sitting around the fire. Or more like four of them sitting, with Sasuke sleeping in his bedroll, altough to make sure his brother would not wake screaming, Naruto remained close. Even asleep, Sasuke would feel his presence just enough to keep him calm. For now, that was what mattered.

“What had happened out there?“ Tazuna asked, his eyes flickering to Sasuke.

Naruto huffed. “His family have a special ability in their eyes. The Sharingan. If active, the Sharingan gives the user eidetic memory. Sasuke had some unpleasant memories from his past, which wre triggered in the fight. He ended up with a panic attack. The memory was probably from the worst ones, as he hadn’t had such a thing in years.“

“ _Years_?“ Kakashi murmured, looking at him with shock. “He has panic attacks and we don’t know about it?“

Naruto grunted, shaking his head. “It only happened thrice, not counting this one. I could always pull him trough them. He drinks his little tea for a few nights, so I can sleep too, cause right now, it’s my chakra, that keeps him calm and then we can both rest. He’ll bounce back in a week.”

“He said something about a promise, hadn’t he?“ Yamato said.

Naruto grunted. “Yes.“

Both of his senseis’ eyes landed on him. “And I think I heard him say something about kinslaying?“

Naruto grit his teeth. (He knew that Sasuke had meant that message to _him_. That he had never wanted to kill him the first time around.) Of course, Kakashi and Yamato knew nothing of the reincarnation and it wasn’t something he could bring up, as if they were chatting about the weaher.

“Naruto.“ Kakashi called, a bit more sternly. “What did Sasuke mean, when...?“

“ _Enough_.“ he growled, narrowing his eyes on the older shinobi. “It’s between me and Sasuke. This happened before and I can deal with it. Just don’t ask him questions tomorrow, because those will bring back the memories. We don’t need him panicking on the field. He will either freeze down and get himself killed or get mad and burn something or someone he shouldn’t.“ he sighed and settled onto his own bedroll, close to the Uchiha. “I will talk with him about it and we will get trough, like always. Together.“

“We’re here to help, Naruto.“ Kakashi said. His tone was calm, matter of fact, but there was also an undertone of pleading. Kakashi was pleading with him to trust them.

But for the first time in many years, Naruto wasn’t sure he could trust his most beloved ANBU.

“We’ll deal with it.“ he said gruffly, before turning his back to the men. “Oyasumi.“

As he closed his eyes, he felt his teachers’ disappointment and it tore him apart, to keep secrets from the unofficial members of his family. But he had no choice.

This was between him and Indra. He had to make Indra trust him again, as much as he had to make the older trust _himself_ again. They could only count on each other, just like when they’d been children, with the Bijū for siblings...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Naruto and Sasuke have used their past names as "codenames" for the Tora mission. xD  
> Also, when the enemy blood lands on his hands and he hears the word "brother", Sasuke remembers his life as Indra. Specifically, his last battle before both him and Asura die at each other´s hand. However, past and present overlap - as its Naruto and Sauske, who make the promise never to hurt each other, in chapter 5, off-scene.  
> The promise from this life and Indra´s realisation from the past get mixed and Sasuke thinks, that instead of killing the enemy in the present, he killed Asura/Naruto again. Hence a panic attack.
> 
> Hope you had fun, while reading! Comments are always welcome :3


	12. Nami no Kuni

The short treck from their camp to the border of Nami, where Tazuna said that someone would pick them up and carry them across, was spent in silence. Sasuke was still a bit shaken from yesterday and Naruto wasn’t in a chatty mood either, worried about his brother, while also keeping an eye on any possible danger.

Kakashi and Yamato were predictably, both worried about their students, however they didn’t voice it. Naruto’s sharp words from the night before prevented them from saying anything, as they didn’t want to distract – and thus, possibly endager– the two boys.

When they arrived at the shore, an old man was waiting for them with a boat, just as Tazuna had promised. Despite the change in mission parameters – from a simple C-rank to a B-rank (possibly A, as there may be other missing-nin) – they still decided to continue. It had taken a lot of convincing on Naruto and Sasuke’s parts (especially Sasuke’s part, as he had been the one to freeze up), but in the end it worked.

Now, as they settled in the small boat, they were all on the edge. After the Demon Brothers had failed, they expeced someone else, but so far nothing had happened. Now, they were almost in Nami and...

... Naruto’s senses tingled. It was hard to see anything from the mist, but his sensory was all he needed. He took out a kunai and sent it flying into the bushes. It was a white rabbit.

“Down!“ Yamato and Kakashi called at once, as the silver-haired man tackled their client to the floor. Naruto watched, as a giant cleaver flew above their heads, to embed in he bark of a large tree. Then, a man jumped onto the hilt of the giant blade, radiating Killing Intent.

The man was tall and noticeably muscular, with light grayish skin, short spiky black hair, dark brown eyes, and small eyebrows. He was wearing bandages like a mask over the bottom half of his face. He wore his Kiri forehead protector sideways on his head. he was shirtless, with his chest only covered by a large belt.

“Momochi Zabuza.“ Kakashi said, as he stood up, “The _Kirigakure no Kijin,_ Missing-nin, hunted for attempting to assassinate the Mizukage.“

Zabuza growled, as his eyes landed on their sensei. “ _Sharingan no Kakashi._ Hand over the old bridge builder and you can walk away from here.“

“That’s not going to happen, Zabuza.“ he jumped from the boat and pulled out two kunai. Zabuza’s chakra spiked again and then he jumped down from the sword and pulled it down. Then he leapt at Kakashi and the two of them clashed.

Naruto grit his teeth – Kakashi didn’t have a sword of his own, so he was in a bit of a tight spot there. Zabuza’s reach was better. Kakashi was faster of course, but they could feel chakra gathering around them. It sent Naruto’s senses into an override.

“What’s this?“ he growled. Zabuza’s Killing Intent was nothing compared to what him and Indra kept throwing at each other the first time round, so it didn’t hinder them. But the mist...

“It’s laced with chakra.“ Sasuke murmured. “I can barely see trough it.“

“Momochi is one of the _Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shū._ He’s a master of the silent killing – he uses the chakra-laced mist to hide and confuse his enemies.”

“The _hiding_ part works.“ Naruto murmured. “If not for my Negative Emotion Sense, my sensory would be useless. But his bloodlust and excitement give him away.”

They stayed close to Tazuna, listening to the clashes of blades. ”We should help him.“ Sasuke said.

“No. Kakashi can deal with him, besides, we don’t know what distraction Zabuza might use to get to Tazuna. He’s here to kill a civilian, remember.“ Yamato said.

Naruto grunted. “We can’t leave... but I can still help.“he said, moulding his chakra and then forming a Bird seal. **“F** **ūton: Daitoppa!“** (Wind Release: Great Breaktrough) he took a deep breath and then exhaled a great gale of wind, which blew away the mist, allowing better sight.

The two fighters looked towards the group and Zabuza glared at them. “ _Brat_! You’ll pay for that!“ he made a seal and two Water Clones appeared next to him.

Even before Yamato could tell them _not_ to go, both boys leapt onto the water to engage the clones, while Kakashi fought the original Zabuza. Naruto grinned, as the Water Clone swung its sword at him. He dodged the swing and shot chakra chains at the clone, to bind it. The chains rattled in protest, as the clone struggled against them. Naruto had a hard time keeping the clone in place, but he was nothing if not stubborn.

He recalled the seal sequence from the scroll Sasuke had read a few days before departure.

 _Mi. Hitsuji. Saru. I. Tori. Tora._ He felt the chakra rise in a warm wave...

 **“Katon: Kitsunebi.“** (Fire Release: Foxfire) he murmured, as ten white-hot fireballs formed in front of him. He flicked his hand and the ten balls went flying at the Water Clone. In normal circumstances, fire was weak against fire... but it was nice to have a chakra like his – denser and more, than others. He just had to put a bit more chakra into his technique, than the clone had.

The clone evapored and as he moved towards Kakashi, he saw Sasuke finish off his own clone. Kakashi was trapped in a big bubble of water. _‘Not good!‘_ Naruto thought. He shared a look with Sasuke and they both started running trough some handsigns from their past life.

Jutsu, that supposedly didn’t exist in this time.

Naruto felt, as Sasuke purposefully mixed more of his Yin chakra into the fire. **“Katon: Shinku no Honō!”** (Fire Release: Crimson Flame) as blood red flames appeared Naruto finished his own set, releasing his compressed chakra.

 **“F** **ūton: Renk** **ūdan!“** (Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet) as he formed the bullets, each one spred trough the red flames and travelled towards Zabuza and Kakashi, like small firestorms.

Zabuza cursed, as he dodged the volley of balls. One of the balls hit the water prison, evaporating some of the liquid while freeing Kakashi. The boys sped over to their sensei, worried for his wellbeing. “Kaka-sensei?“ Naruto asked, as he nudged the Hatake.

“I’m fine. You were fast.“ he murmured, his Sharingan trailed on Zabuza.

“Meddlesome brats!“ the Kiri-nin growled, as he went trough a set of seals. Kakashi did the same, stepping in front of the boys, while giving them a look. _Stay away_ , his eyes seemed to say.

Sasuke drew farther from their sensei, dragging Naruto with him, much to the displeasure of the blonde. As the long sequence of seals were done, two massive water dragons formed, their eyes flashing with sinister light as both launched at one another.

Naruto stiffened, as he sensed an approaching chakra signature. But even before he could warn his team, a masked shinobi appeared and shot a few senbon at Zabuza. The senbon stuck onto the swordman’s neck and then he fell, dead. 

The dark-haired ninja had the symbol of Kiri on the white mask. “Thank you for catching him. I’ve been pursuig him for a very long time.“ the stranger said.

As he grabbed Zabuza, the boys helped Kakashi, as he seemed weak, then, by the time they turned back, the masked nin was already gone. Kakashi staggered and the boys struggled to keep him upright.

“Sensei?“ Sasuke called with a raised eyebrow.

“Sharingan’s tiring. Takes a toll, not Uchiha.“ he muttered before passing out. Naruto cursed under his breath, as he looked at Yamato and the still-shaking Tazuna.

* * *

After a fifiteen minute walk, with a pair of Naruto’s clones carrying the unconscious Kakashi, Team Thirteen made it to Tazuna’s house.

“Tsunami, I’m home!“ Tazuna called, as he let the shinobi into the house.

A young woman with black hair rushed to greet the elderly carpenter, hugging him for a moment. “Tō-san! I’m so glad you’re back.“

Tazuna chuckled and nodded. “Yes, it’s thanks to these shinobi.“

As Tazuna mentioned them, the woman turned to them and smiled. “Welcome. My name is Tsunami.“

“Good day, Tsunami-san. My name is Yamato.“ their sensei said. “The unconscious man is my collegue, Hatake Kakashi and the boys are our Genin. Uchiha Sasuke and Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.“

“ _Uzumaki?_ “ both civilians asked, looking at Naruto with shock and hope in their eyes.

The blonde hummed with a brief smile. “Aye. Okā-san was from the Main Family of the Uzumaki. She escaped the Fall. My father was a Senju of Konoha.“

“It’s a great joy to know some have escaped.“ Tsunami said with a wide smile, bowing to him. “Well, as the leader of the village, allow me to welcome you to Nami no Kuni, Uzumaki-dono. Thank you and your team for bringing my father home safely.“

Naruto froze for a second, feeling lost. He stole a quick glance at the conscious members of his team, silently asking for help. Yamato had a vaguely amused expression on his face Sasuke... his brother on the other hand, was openly smirking in amusement. Quickly focusing on Tsunami, he returned her bow with a briefer one. “We were just doing our duty, Tsunami-san. However, you must know that this mission has been misranked. Your father asked our Hokage for a C-rank and we came. But with shinobi as opponents, it’s an A-rank now.”

Tsunami pursed her lips, looking apologetically at each of them. “Gomen nasai. However due to the presence of the Gato Corporation our land has slowly been bled dry. We could barely save up this money for a C-rank. If father does not finish the bridge, Nami will never be free from Gato and we will be forced to leave or we will starve.“

“Why not rise against him then?“ Sasuke asked.

Tsunami sighed, shaking her head. “We’ve tried once and we failed. Gato executed my husband, making an example of him. That broke the spirit of our people. Father’s bridge is the last hope... but many are sceptical.“

The members of Team Thirteen glanced at one another and a silent agreement passed between them. They will help these people.

“We’ll aid you, where we can.“ Sasuke said quietly.

“For now, however, our sensei would need a place to rest.“ Naruto said, pointing at the still motionless Kakashi. Tsunami’s eyes flashed with worry and she nodded, steering them towards a small room.

* * *

The same night the team – minus Kakashi– were having a meal with father and daughter as Tsunami’s son had refused to show himself. Naruto helped Tsunami with cooking, even sharing some of the supplies they’d brought along from Konoha.

“Zabuza is not dead. Hunter-nin are supposed to kill the shinobi they pursued. This masked individual took Zabuza’s body, instead of dealing with it on the spot.“ Yamato said after a long strech of silence between two bites. The two boys froze, whirling about the information in their minds.

“It’s hard to kill with senbon.“ Sasuke said slowly, earning an approving nod from Yamato.

“But it can render people unconscious.“ Naruto said, “Like a chop to the neck.“

Yamato hummed, pleased. These two were something else, to catch on so fast, without any aid. “Yes. However, his body had been paralised. He needs time to recover from that. Kakashi will also need time, but the recovery from both conditions is about the same time. Kakashi should be mostly fine, by the time Zabuza makes a comeback.“

“How long will it take?“ Sasuke asked curiously.

“If the medical scroll I’ve read was accurate,“ Naruto murmured, a thoughtful expression on his face, “it will be about a week.“

“Indeed, Naruto.“ Yamato said, “In the meanwhile, we’ll guard Tazuna-san, while he works on the bridge and we might as well try to get some training done as well. One of us will stay with Kakashi ad the family, until he wakes, the other two escorts Tazuna. We will be switching, from day to day.“

“Understood sensei.“ the Genin murmured, turning back to their food.

* * *

It was Sasuke’s turn to guard the house, when Kakashi woke up, – well, they’d made the agreement the day before and he had volunteered to stay behind. He knew that Yamato and Naruto could handle themselves.

“Morning sleeping beauty.“ the Uchiha greeted, leaning against the room’s wall, fiddling with his clothes, as he watched his sensei stir.

“Sasuke.“ Kakashi rasped, “What happened?“

Sasuke gracefully stepped away from his spot and walked over to the small nightstand in the room, which had a cup. He grabbed it and reheated it with some Katon chakra, offering it to Kakashi. “Drink. Naruto made this from some herbs. Good for pain and exhaustion.“

Kakashi blinked and took a sip of the tea. (Sasuke still couldn’t for the dear life of him understand _how_ could the man drink and eat with that goddam mask in place! It wasn’t a Genjutsu, otherwise his Sharingan would have detected it. So... _how?!_ )

His eye crinckled into an upside down U. “Hm, this is very good. How does Naruto do it?“

Sasuke shrugged. “It’s an old reciepe, that’s all I know.“

( _Old_ being an understatement. He still remembered his time as Indra, when their father made them drink this tea as children, if they exhausted themselves more, than necessary. Most often it happened, when he was younger and unmindful in training or when Asura kept running around the forest for too long. Every time that happened, Asura walked out of his room half-awake, looking like a dead risen from the grave, rather than an actual, _functioning_ human being.) He’d never learned how to do the tea, because Asura had, as herbs were one of the few things, that entertained him from a young age.

“Hm, shame. Maybe he will tell how to make it?“

“Or we can save you some of the herbs we have in Konoha.“ Sasuke said. “We have this mix dried and ready. Remind me of it and I’ll give you some. If you drink it in a bigger dose, than this, it also works as a sedative.“

Kakashi nodded and took another sip, obviously enjoying the drink. Not that Sasuke had anything against tea – if fact, he _loved_ tea. Especially his brother’s specially made herbal teas. “Oh, my I forgot! Zabuza...“

“...is not dead.“ Sasuke finished calmly. “We know. Naruto and Yamato are out guarding Tazuna. I stayed in case you woke up and to make sure the family are safe.“

“Does Yamato have a plan?“ Kakashi murmured.

Sasuke glanced out into the forest, trough the small window the room had. “Well, the plan came this morning - take out Gato before Zabuza returns and then perhaps convince Zabuza to leave, with his meal ticket gone. Gato surely has some money here, taken from the people. Give some to Zabuza and he will be gone. Take the mission pay for Konoha and the rest can go back to the people, to restart their economy.“

The Jōnin blinked owlishly for a second, his mind still sluggish from exhaustion. “Good plan, I guess. If he gets his money, I’m sure we can convince Zabuza to leave.”

* * *

The team were once more having a meal with the family, discussing the last touches of their plan before setting out in a few hours, – a plan, that may just restore Nami’s peace and order, as it should be.

That is, until the discussion and the quiet meal were disturbed by the loud scraping of wood on wood. Tsunami’s son, Inari, had an angry expression on his face, glaring at the shinobi gathered.

“Why are you even trying?! You’ll just fail anyway! Heroes don’t exist and Gato is too strong for you! He will win anyway, it will get even worse for us and you will just die!“ the child growled.

“Inari!“ Tsunami scolded, her tone horror-filled. It was easy to discern, that she’d never heard such words from her son before.

“Shut it, **_whelp_**.“ Sauske snarled unexpectedly, his eyes glinting sharply, as his Sharingan spun. “You think we don’t know the danger? We do. The reason we go? Because what is goin on here is _injutstice_ and injustice has no place in the world. As for dying?“ he snorted. “ _No_. We won’t die from a hands of a coward, like Gato. He’s a mealsy civilian and we’re shinobi. _Shinobi_ , who dwell in the shadows, who do, what others have no guts to, or not strong enough to do. And if you think you were the only one to suffer, you’re _sorely_ mistaken. We all have our own demons. Some of us are heroes, _literal heroes_ , keeping entire villages in one piece, just by living and breathing and we get no recognition for it. In fact, we get hated for saving the village. Some of us saved lives and we got ridicule and pity for it. Some of us were trusted with the world and ruined that world, instead of building and protecting and then we’re trying to rebuild from the ruins, we left. People, who we loved and trusted have betrayed us and killed our loved ones.“ he took a breath – here, he stole a meaningful glance at Naruto,– “Ruins and blood and suffering, _that_ is what life is.“ he stood up, glaring down at Inari, who shrunk under his gaze. “But you stand up, apologise and go on and try to clean the mess you’ve left. Because if you sit here, crying and wallowing in self-pity, _you are no better_ , than the people, who have ruined what you held dear.“ he stopped for a bit and continoued in a softer, lower tone, but if possible, his voice sounded ten times as sinister, as before. “ And if you turn to anger and hate, you will just _help_ ruin the world faster and before you notice, the hate ruins _you_ beyond saving and even the people who loved you, will turn their backs, because you did not listen, when they asked you to reconsider. To return to them and forgive.“

He strode out, leaving wide-eyed, gaping people behind. (Gods. That was the longest time ever they had heard Sasuke speak!)

Naruto was the first one to snap out of his shock, after making sense of all, that has been said. He jumped up and leapt after the Uchiha, a touch of panic in his tone, as he called after him. _“N_ _ī-sama!”_

Kakashi and Yamato sat there, frozen and not for the first time, they wondered what the boys had gone trough, to have such sharp, painful wievs on the world. (They caught the references in the speech too. Naruto’s Jinchūriki status, Itachi –whom Sasuke had loved and trusted– killing the Clan. There was even a reference to Kakashi’s childhood – _how could the boys know what happened to his father?_ – and there were other things. Things, that neither of the Jōnin could make sense of, but obviously had a strong impact on the boys’ lives.)

* * *

Naruto only needed a few minutes to find Sasuke. He knew the Uchiha’s chakra signature, like the back of his hand, so even if Sasuke tried hiding he would have found him. Altough, Sasuke wasn’t trying to hide at all – his chakra and emotions were like a raging thunderstorm.

 _Anger, self-loathing, grief, regret, love tainted just by a touch of jelousy,_ more _self-loathing and regret...._

Naruto took a deep breath and tried to shut his senses down. Gods, those emotions... the feeling was like being punched by Susanno’o without his own chakra avatar in use. Almost completely overwhelming. He didn’t even try to hide his approach from his brother. It would be no use. The Uchiha would detect him anyway, they were so used to one another’s presence.

He sat next to Sasuke, their shoulders touching and for a moment, they watched the silver crescent of the moon. The crescent, Naruto noted, just like their father had used to compare Indra to. Indra, like the moon and himself, like the sun. Different, but similar, never without one another.

“Nī-sama...“ he muttered softly, almost unwilling to break the silence. But they had to speak about this. It seemed, even after remembering and that talk over tea so many years ago– the day when Saske escaped the hospital,– the sins and missteps of the past haunted his brother and friend relentlessly.

“I tried. _I’m still_ _trying_.“ Sasuke whispered. His tone was strained and haunted. “I’m trying to be the good one here. Good, like I could not be for the _first_ time. He _discarded me, because I wasn’t good enough_ , despite being the older and every drop of hate and anger, which was meant for _him_... you saw it. You tasted it. You... you shouldn’t have. But everything I felt for him then, you got it. And now... now I fear, that it will start again. That despite everything we’ve gone trough in this life, we would end up the same. Me running and you chasing me and both of us _dying_ with unvoiced apolgies and regrets on our tongues, which would just start this whole reincarnation mess again and we would just have another life of failures _to try and set right_.... only to _fail_ and be caught in the same destructive _loop_...“

Naruto’s heart broke. In every single life he had lived, his heart broke. To think that powerful, confident _Indra_ (Sasuke too– but realy, there was no difference between the two; he spoke of the same person with different names, only because they had lived in different eras,) had such insecurities.

The blonde hugged him close, holding him as tightly as he could, to make sure the other will understand, that no matter what, he will _not_ leave.

“It _will not_ happen.“ he whispered. Voice soft, yet steely only he had ever managed. “We know our mistakes now. We won’t make them again. We stand in this together, side by side. And... just let it go. Let the old hurt go. It’s just the two of us now. Otō-sama is no longer here. You have nothing to prove to him anymore and I don’t have to fear failing him again.“

Sasuke’s black eyes found him, so fast, that Naruto thought it humanly impossible. “ _You_? Failing _him_?“ disbelief dripped from his tone. “ _Never_. You were the perfect...“

“ _I wasn’t_.“ Naruto murmured. “I promised him we would be together again, on his deathbed. Side by side. _I failed_.”

This time it was Sasuke, who hugged Naruto close. “I tried being the good son. The responsible one, so you would never have to know pain and loneliness. Because those, who stand on the top, are always lonely. He was too, in a way – he never found anyone, after Okā-sama died, after you were born.”

Naruto’s heart twisted. ( _Even in his life as Asura, he had never known his mother. But he had had a loving father and brother – but no one had ever spoken of his mother. No one dared, not even Indra, no matter how small, trivial and happy his broher’s memories were of their mother. Not even her name had been spoken.)_

“We tried being good and tried to do the good thing _alone_ , to shield each other.“the blonde murmured, putting some distance between them. “We tried protecting each other alone, without the other’s consent, because we thought it was our responsiblity, as a brother.“

Sasuke hummed and gave a tiny nod.

Naruto reached into his hip pouch and took out a kunai. The sharp metal glinted in the silvery moonlight. He pressed the blade against his right palm, making a small cut, drawing blood. His eyes found Sasuke, as he offered the blade. “It was our blood, that started this mess. Let it be our blood, that ends it. None of our children and grandchildren shall ever know the pain, we had.“

Sauske cut his own palm – his left one– in a similar manner. “It was our pride, love and anger, that started this. Shall our love and care for each other be the end of it.”

They joined hands, looking at one another. “I swear by the Rikudō and by the Shinju never to lay a harming hand on you again. Earth and Moon are our witness, we stand side by side, as brothers again.“ as their voices faded, they smied at each other and hugged one another.

That was the night, when the two truly broke the chain of hatered linking their families. That was the night, when the bloody rivalry of Uchiha and Senju would forever end...

Then they stood up and slowly made their way back to the house.

* * *

Later night, Naruto, Sasuke and Yamato made their way over to Gato’s hideout. Kakashi was better, but still not _fully_ recovered, so it was decided, that he should stay behind and if the need arose, deal with any unwanted mess direcly in the village.

Gato’s base of operations was just outside of the village – guarded by a small army of thugs. The three shinobi stopped in the shadows, obersving the place.

The boys both had their sensory stretched out to the fullest, so they could count the people inside. All of them had low chakra levels, barely more than a civilian. “Three guarding this door. Two behind the building and I can feel about fifteen inside.“ Naruto said.

Yamato raised a curious eyebrow. “How can you tell so accurately, if they have so low levels?“

Naruto grinned confidently. “It’s a secret.“

Sasuke rolled his eyes –those antics of Asura would never change, no matter what time and life they were in,– and made a gesture to go inside, before Yamato could probe further. Their sensei decided to go after Gato himself, while leaving them to deal with the thugs. Once Yamato disappeared in the shadows, they shared a look.

 _Child’s play_.

They walked out of their hiding spot side by side, slowly, letting the men notice them. Both thugs noticed them at the same time.

“Hey, shrimps!“ one of the men, the bulkier of the two called, “This is private property! You should not be here. Scram.”

The boys glanced at each other. “Ne, Nī-sama, did this man just orer us around, as if he were our father?“ Naruto asked.

Sasuke snorted, his eyes narrowing on the man. “You presume much, if you think, you can go ordering _us_ around.“ The brothers pulled out their weapons – Sasuke his sword and Naruto a pair of kunai,– and they jumped at the men.

Once the guards were dead, the boys headed inside, their weapons still at the ready. They met one man, just by the door, but before he could draw a weapon or call for help, Naruto silenced him with a wind-charged kunai to the troath.

From than on, it was a bloodbath – soon joined by Yamato, who had, in the meanwhile killed Gato and collected several documents of interest, as well as a nice sum of god, which they would give to Zabuza.

(The next day, Yamato would question the boys’ sanity, for he had seen the way they’d fought and he’d seen how unfazed both were, when life left the men’s eyes.)

* * *

When Zabuza returned – predictably with his accomplice, the fake hunter-nin,– Team Thirteen were already waiting. When the thick mist descended, Naruto’s first move was to blow it all away, so they could face th two Missing-nin without hindrance.

Zabuza of course, was not at all happy, that someone ruined his playground. “ _You brat!_ “ he growled, pointing his massive sword at Naruto, “You keep messing up my jutsu!”

Naruto shrugged, looking entirely unapologetic. “Sorry.“

Zabuza growled, stalking closer, but before he made it even halfway, Kakashi and Yamato both leapt between the Kiri shinobi and their students. “Your contract is off, Momochi.“ Kakashi said calmly.

Zabuza growled lowly, surprise flickering trough his face. “What are you crowing about, Hatake?“

“We killed Gato.“ Yamato clarified, “His hold on Nami is no more, therefore your contract is void.” understanding dawned on the swordman’s face, but before he could say anything, or physically lash out –and lament the lack of income,– Yamato tossed a small bag to him, which Zabuza caught instinctively.

“Wha...“

“That’s the money Gato promised you, altough, mind me, he had no intention of paying you. I’ve seen his files.“ Yamato said. “The people of Nami have gotten their money back, which Gato has stolen and they agreed to pay you the sum Gato promised, if you leave them in peace. Don’t kill Tazuna – or anyone, really – and you even get your money.”

For a tense moment, Zabuza eyed them and all four of the Konoha shinobi were ready to leap into action, if it was needed. However, after the moment passed, the Demon of the Hidden Mist lowered his blade. “I shall leave the man be, then.”

They all breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, they could go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, when Sasuke spoke, he was not referring to what happened to Sakumo. He meant things that happened in their previous lives, but Kakashi catches the part and he immediately relates it to his father/himself. And no, Sasuke didn´t mean Itachi killing the Clan, either. It was what Yamato and Kakashi linked the speech with. In fact, Sasuke was speaking about himself, when he killed Naruto/Asura.
> 
> And yes, a little bit crappy, open ending. However other fanfiction either have Zabuza and Haku dead, like in canon, or they end up joining Konoha. I didn´t want either to happen, so I left it at that. What Zabuza and Haku do after Nami, is up to your imaginations :3
> 
> Please tell me what you think :)


	13. Beasts of Legends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Naruto and Sasuke experiment with Summoning. Kakashi is utterly baffled and confused...

Kakashi was happy – but most of all, _relived_ – when they finally made it back to the village.

On the entire way from Nami, Naruto used every available moment to dabble with notes of Fūinjutsu. The kid was an Uzumaki –and several of his direct Senju ancestors were renowned masters of the Art, too– but seals were tricky and dangerous. And while Naruto had his parents notes, Kakashi would have been much, _much_ calmer, if there was a proficient teacher guiding the blonde.

He knew this and that – you couldn’t _not_ know seals, when your sensei and almost-aunt were masters of it,– but it was far from enough to guide his student. In fact, Kakashi could safely say that Naruto has already surpassed him, in that field. (Yamato knew even less, than Kakashi did, if it came to the intricate field.)

Where was Jiraya-sama, when he was needed? The man had taught Minato-sensei and on top of it, was Naruto’s godfather. He should be here for the blonde. Of course, Kakashi understood, that as a spymaster, he was busy, but didn’t he have some time for his _godson_? Like dropping in after _twelve years?!_

On the other hand, Kakashi wasn’t sure he wanted to be there, when Naruto –and thus, Sasuke– met the Sannin. They would most likely try to gut him and say, that the man had abandonned Naruto hours after he was born. (A part of Kakashi, the evil part, agreed. Jiraya _had_ _ran_ , after he’d seen how much Naruto had looked like both of his parents.)

The point was, that Naruto was very good with seals and on the third day back from Nami, Kakashi had lost the blonde halfway trough an explanation. (Yamato was already brain dead by then, trying to catch up. Sasuke had wisely tuned Naruto out, saying he trusted the blonde without question, if it came to seals.)

And now, _now_ Kakashi was worried.

They’d sent the boys to rest and had given the report to the Hokage about the messy, upgraded, but still-sucessful mission. That had happened yesterday and now Kakashi stood on their usual training ground with no students in sight.

Where were the students he was supposed to teach? Well, maybe at this point, Naruto should teach him, if it came to seals, but _shush_ , no one in the village needed to know _that_. He wanted some of his pride intact, after all.

Yamato had been called away for other sort of work. With the Chūnin Exams just over the horizon, they needed to be extra caotious with security. So for a while, he would handle the boys on his own. If only he _had_ boys to handle...

He huffed, trying to recall where he would find the boys. Where could they – _oh, yes_! The Hokage Monument. Naruto liked sitting on his father’s stone head and watch the village go by with their lives. He quickly turned and headed towards the Monument.

They would either be sitting on Minato-sensei’s head or they would be on the plateu behind the heads. It was the spot where they usually escaped to, to be alone. It was the spot, where not even ANBU had followed them after a while. They just kept an eye out around the area, but no one ever approached them. Whenever they were up there, it was private time and even shinobi respected privacy.

After about twelve minutes, he finally reached the place and in another five minutes, he even made it to the top. He froze in the shadows of the stairs, as he saw how relaxed both of his students were, Naruto leaning on Sasuke’s shoulder. In that moment, they indeed looked like brothers, regardless of the stark contrast in appearance. (It was almost like his eyes were playing tricks on him, as two other peoples shadows seemed to overlap with his students’ forms. Brown-haired people he’d never seen, wearing old, formal white kimonos.)

“Ne, Nī-sama, do you think it would work?“ Naruto asked, his voice a lazy, almost sleepy slurr. Even after all this time, it threw him off, how formal the two were with each other, despite the obivous friendship and brotherly affection.

“ _What_ would work, Otōto?“ Sasuke asked. His own voice was just a bit sharper, more awake.

Still, they were obviously content and unfocused, otherwhise he would have been long detected. Not that Kakashi minded it. Even after years of watching the boys grow up, they were still an unsolved mystery. This was his chance, to find out something more, perhaps?

“ _Kuchiyose_.“ Naruto answered. “We signed our Contracts so long ago. Do you think we could summon them?“

Kakashi blinked owlishly. The boys _had_ Summons of their own? Since when? Besides, it couldn’t be too long ago, since they were barely thirteen (Naruto wasn’t even thirteen). So, obviously the Uzumaki was exagerating.

Sasuke hummed. “From my knowledge, it should still work. I remember Otō-sama saying to chose partners wisely, because they will stay with us all our lives. And... considering everything, I think those contracts should still hold. Because we are still _we_ , even if we aren’t.“

Kakashi’s head spun. Since when would Suske be so formal with dead parents, to still call Fugaku “Otō-sama“? Gods, he’d known the Uchiha were a bunch to keep traditions, just like the Hyūga, but this was _pushing_ it.

“Hm, let’s try.“ Naruto murmured and then stood up. Kakashi’s back was ramrod straight, as the boys stood, side by side. They wouldn’t try Kuchiyose, _right_? Not without a Contract... _Right?!_

Except, they did just that, faster, than Kakashi could trully comprehend. Drawing blood from their hands, running trough the handsigns at a speed Kakashi never thought he would see Genin perform them – _Hitsuji, Inu, Tori, Saru, Hitsuji_ – and then their palms were on the ground, the jutsu-shiki spreading from beneath their hands. And to his shock, both glowed with the overload of chakra. Naruto’s was gold-green, while Sasuke’s was blue-purple.

 **“Kuchiyose no Jutsu!“** (Summoning Technique) they announced at the same time and the next minute there were two identical plumes of smoke. When the smoke cleared Kakashi’s jaw dropped.

In front of Sasuke, stood a massive (horse-sized) wolf. It had pitch black fur and orange eyes, like two simmering ambers. It’s massive fangs glinted sharply and Kakashi had no doubt this beast was more dangerous, than any of his dogs ever could be.

Naruto was facing a magnificent white stag, the same size as the wolf – and it had the most beautiful antlers Kakashi has ever seen. Almost like the interlocked branches of an ancient tree, pure ivory in colour, but as the light fell on them, they seemed almost gold. Its hooves were the same.

( _How_ the hell did the boys have such Summons? He had read this and that about some of the Summons and their Realms. The Wolf Contract had been lost _ages ago_... and he hadn’t even _known_ there was a Deer Contract. He heard rumours, but like every other sane human, he thought it some legend, from the time of the Rikudō Sennin!)

And then, to his shock, both great Summons lowered their heads, after a moment of contemplation, as if they had trouble recognising their summoners. (How _ridiculous_ was _that_? Summons don’t forget the face of their Summoners. No one had more than one face, in their life, after all.)

 **“Indra-sama.“** the wolf greeted.

 **“Asura-sama.“** the deer intoned in a softer tone, careful that it’s –his?– antlers wouldn’t harm his blonde student. Not deer, of course. _Stag_.

 _Wait!_ Why the hell would those Summons call his students by different names?! What in the name of kami was going on?

Naruto smiled and reached out, stroking the stag’s fur. “Shirotsuno. Old friend.“

“A pleasure to see you again, Kagetsume.“ Sasuke said, as he took a step closer. The two summons leaned into the touches of his students, momentary not acknowledging one another. But then, the wolf started growling, as its fiery eyes landed on the stag.

 **“You...!“** the wolf snarled.

The stag glared back, his hooves clattering on the stone. Kakashi never thought to see such ice-cold, deadly conviction in the eyes of a herbivorous animal, summon or not. **“Yes, me...“**

“ _Enough!_ “ his students said at once, their voices cracking like whips. Kakashi couldn’t help, but shake at the amount of power and authority that single word carried. Both of the great beast looked at their summoners in shock.

“We are not enemies.“ Sasuke said, his tone level. “We started something and now we finished it.“

“We shall never fight again.“ Naruto spoke, his tone ringing with finality, “We stand side by side, as brothers should.“

“As we should always have.“ Sasuke said. “So, I believe, it is time to cease the hostilities between the Wolves of the _Obake Mori_ (Haunted Forest) and the Deer of the _Hoshizora Tani_ (Starry Valley). We work together now. I know well, that your Clans have always been at odds as it is the order of nature. But no more open violence. Just keep clear of each other.“

For a while, the two summons seemed to consier it. Then, both nodded. **“It shall be as you wish.“** both said at once.

The boys smiled – well, Naruto grinned more like– and leaned into their summons’ fur again.

And then, suddenly, the wolf twitched. **“Indra-sama. Someone’s here.“**

Both of his students perked up at those words and Kakashi cursed colorfully in the privacy of his mind. He did a quick Body Flicker, hoping and praying that Naruto hadn’t caught his chakra signature.

* * *

Kakashi’s first stop was the Hokage Office. They had a meeting about the upcoming Chūnin Exam anyway. Afterwards, he could ask the Hokage about those summons. (The thought of Sasuke having wolves as partners, still nagged at him. That Contract had once belonged to the Uchiha Clan, if the old scrolls were to be believed, but it had been _lost_. Lost even before the time of Madara and the Shodai.)

Once he arrived in the office, he settled in a corner, surprising many that he was on time. He was rarely late to things, since he’d taken the boys under his wing, but it was something many of his collegues were unused to. The Hokage seemed vaguely pleased at his appearance, too. He was sure, that they would have a private word anyway, considering the unique set-up his team had. After all, himself and Yamato could not join the boys, they woud just be spectators trough the Exam.

The boys could only count on each other, but Kakashi wasn’t too worried. As close as they were, he was sure they would not be seperated so easily.

“As you are all aware,“ the Hokage started after a few minutes, when he was sure all those who were meant to be here, were present, “this year’s Chūnin Exams will start soon and we will be hosting them. First and foremost, I would like to say that this means the strenghtening of our security, to ensure the safety of our guests, as well as the order of the village.“

Mutters of agreement and acknowledgement passed trough the room. The Chūnin Exams were always the busiest time of the year.

“Also, I would like to know, which teams will be nominated.” the Kage asked, his aged, but still sharp eyes sweeping the room.

A few senseis, who had their team since last years – like Gai,– nominated their teams, believing them ready. Much to everyone’s surprise –and the disapproval of a few– Kurenai nominated her team, too. Her kids had graduated this year with Sasuke and Naruto, but that wasn’t the only reason her announcement caused a stir. Kurenai was one of the newest, most inexperienced Jōnin of the village. Kakashi could tell, that many were questioning her sanity at that bold move.

However, the Hokage waved it off, saying he trusted the team leaders’ judgement of their students, regardless of nominating a team or not. Asuma also nominated the new Ino-Shika-Chō trio. When the Hokage’s eyes fell on him, Kakashi knew what were the words, that the Hokage was expecting, regardless of the boys being ready or not. (It was a good thing, that they were skilled and learned fast. They _were_ ready.)

“I, Hatake Kakashi, nominate Team Thirteen – consisting of Genins Uchiha Sasuke and Senju-Uzumaki Naruto – for the Chūnin Exams.“ he stated calmly.

“Very well, Kakashi.“ the Hokage nodded, accepting his words. Unsurprisingly, several of his peers looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. Altough Asuma _was_ looking at his father, as if the man had lost his mind in his old age. Luckily, the Sarutobi knew better, than to voice any protests.

Soon after the forms were passed, the meeting was dismissed, altough Kakashi remained, lingering just by the edge. Once even the last of the gathered left, the Hokage looked at him, taking a drag of his pipe.

“How are they fairing?“

Kakashi didn’t even mask the pride in his voice. “Very good, Hokage-sama. However, both of them are naturally talented – once Naruto gets over certain problems– and it is safe to say, that they just need the guiding hand, not actual teaching. Neither from me, nor from Yamato. They teach themselves and each other, most of the time. But there’s been times, when they did turn to us for help, even Sasuke. It seems the arrugance the Academy mentioned is not as bad, as they had made it out to be. And while he had mentioned going after Itachi that first day, he doesn’t even acknowledge that the man is out there somewhere. Keeps saying we are his family – Naruto, Yamato and myself, that is. Both of them consider the team, their family, in fact.“

He paused, letting all of the information sink in. “It’s humbling, in a way, because they consider us a part of their _extended_ _family_ , as Sasuke had said, as we are in posession of their Clans’ Kekkei Genkai, regardless of the fact, that neither myself, nor Yamato were born with them.“ Kakashi added at last.

The Hokage seemed thoughtful for a moment and nodded. “It’s indeed nice thing to hear. It bodes well for both of them. Both of them had been alone and it’s calming that they are willing to forge bonds, other than what they share. No matter how few those bonds are.“

Kakashi hummed. “Yes. It seemed that the advice and care we showed them with Yamato... grounded them. It showed them, that they aren’t alone or just the two of them.“ Kakashi chuckled. “It’s _cute_ , how protective they can be sometimes. Even if they know, that Yamato and I can handle ourselves.“

The Hokage chuckled in amusement. “Well, then, be sure to take care of your _new family_ , Kakashi-kun.“

Kakashi’s eye crinckled into a smile. “I will, Hokage-sama.“ as he moved towards the window, he recalled the main reason he’d wanted to speak with the man. “Hokage-sama?“

The man turned in his seat to look at him again. “Yes, Kakashi?“

“What do you know of Summons? Wolves and Deer, to be precise. The boys hadn’t come to our spot and just before the meeting, I found them on the Monument, the plateu, to be precise. They did a Summoning. I didn’t even know they had signed Contracts and by the way they spoke of it – and by the way the Summons themselves greeted the boys,– they have it for a while.“

The Hokage studied him for a very long moment, his eyes wide. “Wolves and Deer, you say?“

Kakashi nodded. “The Wolf Clan of _Obake Mori_ and the Deer Clan of _Hoshizora Tani_. That’s what they said.“

“I’ve only heard of them in legends.“ the aged man admitted. “I thought them to be naught, but legend.“

Kakashi nodded. “Do you by chance remember something of that legend?“

The Hokage’s face fell thoughtful. “Not much. Only that those Clans are among the most ancient ones. If I remember correctly, those Clans were the first one to make a Contract with humans. Precisely, they made Contracts with the two sons of the Rikudō Sennin. The sons, who were the forefathers of the Uchiha and Senju Clans.“

Kakashi’s mind was working overtime, trying to connect the dots. “Have their names been recorded? The sons’?“

The Hokage nodded slowly, almost unsure. “Jiraya mentioned something. Something that the toads spoke of in passing. There are rumours, that the Great Toad Sage had met the Sennin in his youth. I... I think, they... yes. The sons were named Asura and Indra.“

Kakashi’s mind came to a screeching halt. Indra and Asura. Those were the names the two Summons had used, when they addressed his students.

“Why are you asking, Kakashi?“

Kakashi tried feigning nonchallance. He shrugged. “Just curious. My students, do after all, seem to have those ancient Contracts. How they came across it, is a mystery I have yet to solve.“

The Hokage seemed satisfied with the answer. “Well, maybe you could try asking them. Those are ancient Contracts and had not been in circulation for a long time, long enough to fall into legend.“

Kakashi nodded. “I will be sure to mention it to them, once I meet them for training.“ he murmured. Then he nodded to the Sandaime and leapt out the window.

As he sped trough the rooftops, his mind was still trying to give meaning to all he had heard. _‘Why would the members of two legendary Summon Clans call my cute, little students by the name of their forefathes, who are literal legends?‘_

It was a mystery he intended to solve, no matter how long it took or how un-nice it was of him, as a trusted sensei, to snoop around his students and pseudo little brothers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit short, but MEH.... I will leave it, where it is.
> 
> Obviously, when Sasuke said “Otō-sama“, he meant HAGOROMO and not Fugaku, but Kakashi does not know that. Therefore, he thinks the Uchiha were more of a stuck up bunch, than he had ever thought them to be.
> 
> In the end, I chose Wolf Summons for Sasuke, because they are often depicted with moon (Indra´s symbol) and they are as much family creatures (like how Indra/Sasuke cares so deeply for family) as much they are lone hunters (like Indra was, later in his life and how he keeps distance from those he does not know/trust)
> 
> Naruto got Deer/Stag Summons (thank you for the suggestion, Hoguie :D) as they represent healing, connections to nature and the forest, kindness, love, and strength  
> Also since Wolf and Stag are also on "opposing sides" in nature, as wolf eats stag (like how the brothers´ wievs were different, Indra being more violent, while Asura was a staunch supporter of peace and co-existence). But there HAD been a few cases, when a Stag managed to wound/kill a wolf, too.
> 
> And of course, Kakashi has things to think about, as he had heard the boys´ ancient names.... :D
> 
> Please leave comments. Comments are like cookies and caffeine :3 They give me energy and make me happy.


	14. Kakashi’s Musings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Kakashi causes himself a headache, while trying to figute out the misteries going by the aliases of Uchiha Sasuke and Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are flashback/memory

When Kakashi found his students hours later, they were sitting at Ichiraku Ramen, eating. Well, Sasuke was eating and Naruto was _inhaling_ ramen.

It was such a Kushina-thing to do, that Kakashi’s heart ached. Did the blonde realise just how much he was like his parents? He was painfully similar to them, yet at the same time, he was much more. Something else, too which Kakashi couldn’t name. Calm and composed, when need be, calculating and polite in a way not even Minato-sensei had been. But, if the Nidaime was Naruto’s great-grandfather, than perhaps those were things the blonde had inherited from him? He’d heard that the man had been calculating, pragmatic and polite sometimes so much, that they called him distant and cold. But Naruto also had a warm, bubbly and charming personality, that if the Sandaime was right, was as much Minato-sensei as much it was Shodaime-sama.

And on the top of it all, Naruto was a genius, when it came to seals. (Much like sensei, Tobirama-sama or Mito-hime had been. The Sandaime would not have mentioned them, if it were not true.)

Kakashi chuckled at the thoughts. It seemed as if Naruto had collected the best, most useful traits from all his family, regardless of them being Senju or Uzumaki.

Sasuke... Sasuke was much harder to compare, Kakashi mused. He was not as energetic as Obito or Shisui had been. Rather, he was calm and rational, like Itachi had been, but in a less _detached_ way. And he was just as caring and loving, as Shisui and Mikoto-san had been, even if he showed it rarely or in odd ways. Sometimes stoic and overly wary (borderline cold), as Kakashi remembed Uchiha Fugaku to be... yet it didn’t seem like that, either.

The boys were like their families in a lot of ways, but there were things Kakashi could not place for dear life. Like the wisdom they seemed to possess, well beyond their years. Wisdom and sadness and darkness, that didn’t belong in children – yet it was not a sort of darkness, that came from their rocky start. No. It wasn’t even darkness – just _a shadow_. As if they knew more than teens their age should. As if they carried a weight they were afraid to share with anyone else, other than each other – or, as if they couldn’t share that weight with anyone, but each other.

_Indra. Asura._

The names slithered into his mind unchecked and Kakashi found his single eye narrowing on his students. What did it mean? What were they hinding? (Because, looking back... it was obvious. Ever since that day, when he found Naruto resting on Sasuke’s shoulder, the Uchiha drinking tea, they were _hiding something_.)

They trained like no other. They saw the world in a different light, than others their age. _Heck_ , they saw the world in a different light, than some adults! He had asked Naruto once, what he thought about the Fox sealed inside him and Naruto had answered, that he was sad for it. Sad, because the Fox was angry and bitter and knew not _how to care for others anymore_. (There’d been a time, when the likes of the Fox were caring?)

But, perhaps it had been his conversation with Sasuke, before the Wave Mission, that had been most eye-opening. Eye-opening to how much the village has misjudged not only his sensei’s son, but also Sasuke.

_Kakashi was most surprised to find Sasuke alone. There was no Naruto in sight, when he arrived on the training ground. Instead, Sasuke only had a cute puppy with him. The dog barked sharply at his arrival and Sasuke gently patted the animal, with a cross look on his regal features. (Ah, damn the Uchiha and their near-perfect looks!)_

_“Good morning, Kakashi-sensei.“ Sasuke greeted, as he poked the puppy again, as the animal growled. “Shiro, enough. He’s a friend.” The puppy made an unhappy sound, before obediently settling next to the Uchiha. When Sasuke was satisfed, their eyes met. “Gomen. He’s a bit unsure of new people.“_

_“Maa, think nothing of it. I have dogs too. They’re nin-dogs, true, but some things are the same, regardless of them being Summons or normal dogs.“ he studied the puppy for a second. Sasuke was calmly stroking its fur, sitting straight and regal, even now, when he was supposedly relaxed._

_“True.“_

_“I didn’t know you had a dog.“ Kakashi remarked._

_“I found him after moving in with Naruto. Just a few days after Graduation. Naruto adores him too, so we decided to keep him. He’s small yet, so he doesn’t eat all that much.“ he said calmly. His face was calm and unmoving, like a lake, but Kakashi could see he loved the animal. He cared for it in the same odd sort of way he cared for Naruto._

_Someone under Inochi, who’d examined Sasuke, had said, that he might be a problem without proper guidence. But problematic people – problematic **shinobi** , candidate or active– did not care for animals so openly. In that moment, Sasuke didn’t seem to be problematic at all._

_Kakashi sat down on the ground too, not too far from his student. The puppy – Shiro– poked his nose towards him in a curious, cute way. His black eyes watched Kakashi curiously, but he didn’t move from under Sasuke’s hand, stroking the brown fur._

_“You know, Sasuke... I’m supposed to have this conversation with both you and Naruto. About your future. It’s a bit... more complicated for you two, as you have no families to fall back on.“ he started cautiously._

_Sasuke looked at him, his eyes calculating, narrowed just a bit. “I have Naruto and he has me. It’s how it had been for a long while. We’re fine, altough, I suppose, I should thank you for your concern.“_

_Kakashi eyed him. There was it again. That overly formal tone, that did not belong into this period. Perhaps into, the Warring Clans Era, but not **here** , into this more modern society._

_The Hatake hummed. “Have you thought of what to do with your life, if you make it to J_ _ōnin? Perhaps join ANBU once Naruto makes Hokage?“_

_Sasuke seemed thoughtful, than gave a tiny snort. “No. Naruto would drag me to the Hokage Monument and drop me from the top, after binding my chakra, if I ever considered ANBU. He wants me as his right hand yes, so he said, but in a more open way.“_

_“I see... and? What do you think of it?“_

_Sasuke huffed, obviously annoyed with the probing, but he was far too polite and composed, to tell him to fuck off. “I think, it’s okay. He’s my best friend. My brother. I want to help him build something... new. Better. We promised and I want to keep that promise.“ the ‘I want to keep it this time‘, was muttered so softly, that Kakashi almost didn’t hear it. He filed that away for later. Best not push his luck – Sasuke was, after all, willing to open up to him somewhat._

_“I see. And what of your brother?“ he asked. Now that Sasuke was more content, he dared risking the question._

_Sasuke arched an eyebrow – **hell!** Even the way he arched an eyebrow and looked at him in a what-now? look, was noble! This kid could go and parade among the long-robed, parfumed nobles of the Fire Daimyo’s Court and fit right in, if only he changed clothes! _

_“Shouldn’t you ask Naruto that?“_

_Kakashi blinked. He opened his mouth and closed it, like a fish (he’d never been so grateful for his mask before). “I wasn’t talking about Naruto.“ he said slowly, after gathering his wits again. “I meant Itachi.“_

_Sasuke’s eyes bled into the Sharingan, faster, than Kakashi blinked. The cold fire in the depth of the Genin’s eyes were almost frightening. “That man is **not** my brother and if you ever call that **kinslayer** such, where I can hear, I will crave your Sharingan out. Respecting the wish of a dead or not.“ he growled, lacing his words with Killing Intent._

_Kakashi’s blood ran cold. Not because of the Killing Intent, no it was just a drop, but because **that** was an all too real treath..._

_Sasuke gathered Shiro into his grip and rose. “That man does not exist. I have no business with traitors and kinslayers. Let the Konoha Hunters catch him. What he will get from the Hunter-nin and once he is dragged back, tossed in front of the Council, shall be enough. I will ask him, why he had done it, tell him that he failed the Uchihas’ policies about family and kin and then he can rot in a cell for the rest of his days, for all I care.“ he turned and started walking away._

_Kakashi needed a moment to understand, what had been said. Before he could comment, Sasuke spoke again, without turning. Kakashi could only trace the unfamiliar moon-circle symbol on his vest’s back._

_“Countless shinobi of my kin, those who had the Sharingan, fell for it. Fell for what... the Nidaime called so catchily the Nikushimi no Noroi. He is one of them, one of the fallen. I shall not fall for that Curse. Naruto has shown me, that I can live without falling for it – and Naruto is more my brother, than **he** will ever be.”_

_And then, he leapt into the trees, leaving Kakashi alone on the training ground._

Sasuke was not bent on revenge, like some of the evaluations said. No. He was just a natural loner. In fact, he could care less about what happened to Itachi, apparently. First, he had said he would go after the older, but no. He meant it that he would ask his questions and then leave Itachi. Leave the man to carry the weight of his actions.

And hell... he’d heard about the Uchihas’ Nikushimi no Noroi. It was the ideal completely opposite to Konoha’s Will of Fire, altough Minato-sensei had said the Uchiha had overcome it, since Konoha’s founding... Perhaps they hadn’t?

Perhaps Itachi had fallen for it, like Sasuke had said. And it was Sasuke himself, who was free of it and so, he was willing to look into the future, not pursuing Itachi, as long as he had Naruto by his side.

Sasuke was definitely being more mature about this whole thing, than he had the right to be... (Come on, Kakashi had been in a similar situation and he had not been half as mature about it, as Sasuke was! If not for Minato-sensei and Kushina-san, he would still be living in the Hatake Compound.)

 _‘Almost as if he’d lived a life before, along with Naruto. As if they knew all the pain and suffering and joy of life. And trough it all, they’d learnt, that it was best to stick together, no matter what.‘_ he mused.

Kakashi scowled at his thoughts. What was he even thinking? What was he _thinking_ – that the boys were some extremely old people in young bodies, who’d lived once? All the better... they were, _who_? Those Asura and Indra the summons had called them?

No. Totally, utterly R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S. And _impossible_.

(Even if something like being reborn in a different body was possible, how much power would that need? That would take awfully lot and that would mean the boys had enough power, somewhere in them, _to match a_ _Bij_ _ū_. To carve a valley, to reshape the land, only because they were having _fun_.)

The boys were talented, prodigies in their own way, yes. But no man, not even the Shodaime or Madara had such power. That would make them something like half-human-half-god or something. And what?! Their father was, who? The Rikudō Sennin? **_No_**. They were _misplaced_ in time then – just by a millenia or so. (Besides, Nartuo looked all too much like his parents, to be anyone else’s son.)

Kakashi shook his head and grunted a bit.

He was just overthinking things. He should just be happy, that his brats – students, were smart enough not to die early in their shinobi career.

“Kakashi-sensei?“

Kakashi was broken out of his musings, by Naruto calling out to him. The scarecrow looked at his blonde student and waved nonchallantly. “Hello Naruto, Sasuke. May I join?“

Sasuke nodded and gestured at the empty seat next to him. Kakashi smiled and ordered a beef ramen, after some consideration.

“What brings you here?“ Sasuke asked, as he ordered another bowl of ramen.

Kakashi eyed his studens discreetly, trying to find something – _anything_ –, that would point out that they were impostors – that they weren’t the sons of their families. He found nothig out of place. They looked just as they always had.

“I thought it was time to tell you about the upcoming Chūnin Exams and that the Hokage has high – _very high_ – expectations of you two.“

The boys shared a brief surprised look and then their features were smooth and calm again. (Usually it was off-putting even for some adults to hear such words and they were so _calm_...)

Naruto raised an eyebrow and gods be good, he managed it in the same _noble_ sort of way Sasuke had! It was almost annoying. “And what would those expectations entail exactly?“

Kakashi almost groaned. Were those two even children? Because, right now, it totally didn’t feel like it. It was as if they were brushing off those standards the Hokage had. As if they’d lived by much higher standards (which was kind of hard to believe, with their families dead).

His head _hurt._ It hurting very, _very_ badly courtesy of two impossible students of his. _‘These two are even more of a headache now, than as children. I need a raise...‘_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please share your thoughts. Comments are the caffeine of my soul :3


	15. Chūnin Exam Commence!

The first true sign of the nearing Exam Kakashi has mentioned was the commotion, Sasuke noted. Konoha wasn’t just the first Shinobi Village – it was also one of the biggest, even among the Great Five. So naturally, it was a populous place, full of life.

However, this sort of commotion, that came with the nearing Chūnin Exams was different. Konoha had a _feel_ to it. Almost like a person. Warm, welcoming – if with a little sting. The shadows of distrust and fear lurked in every heart. He’d learnt that fast, being near Naruto. People tried being kinder to the blonde, if only to get some favours out of the Senju-Uzumaki Heir. The point was, that he was used to Konoha’s familiarity.

But now, the familiarity was disrupted by countless foreign faces – all of them shinobi. The familiarty was blown out the window, the moment his sensory brushed with a foreigner’s chakra. And whenever he felt something foreign, he would steal a glance that way and have a look at the headbands.

 _Takigakure. Sunagakure. Kumogakure_... and so on.

Foreign village symbols. Foreign faces. And the more of those foreigners would arrive, the closer the Exams would be.

“We’re close now.“ his brother murmured. Sasuke had no doubt, that Naruto felt this difference even more, than he did. His senses and Sensory were sharper, than Sasuke’s after all.

“Indeed.“ he agreed, as they walked trough the Market District.

The civilians bowed and greeted them exageratedly. ‘Uchiha-sama‘ and ‘Senju-sama‘ echoed around them. Some of the older generations said, that how he and Naruto were side by side, was probably how the Shodai and Madara had been. (It grated at him, that people compared _him_ to Madara – a _traitor_ and _madman_ , who sought the destruction of the world.)

Narto froze suddenly, perking up, watching and listening, like an animal. Then, his violet eyes narrowed. “ _Shukaku_.” he whispered just loud enough for Sasuke to hear.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry?“

Naruto stole him a glance. “Shukaku. He’s here. His Jinchūriki is here.” he clarified, his voice still low.

Sasuke hummed. “Lead the way then. I want to see who’s the person our brother got stuck with.“

Naruto nodded and leapt onto a sturdier stall’s top, before leaping further up onto the roofs. Sasuke followed the whiskered blonde without question. He allowed Naruto to have a few steps on him, so he could properly locate their tanuki brother. This way, if Naruto took a sudden turn or stopped without warning, Sasuke wouldn’t run into him.

“There.“ Naruto said, pointing at two Suna shinobi. One was a girl with sandy blonde hair and a massive _tessen_ on her back. The other was a boy with painted face in black, cat-like suit. Now that they were close, Sasuke’s senses prickled with the wild chakra.

It was indeed Shukaku’s, but it felt wilder, than ever. And it wasn’t coming from those two, but they had traces of it around them. So, Shukaku’s host was their third teammate. His eyes narrowed when he saw the clown in the cat suit pick up a young kid by the scarf. Sasuke didn’t need his brother’s special emotion sensing to know that the boy was terrified. Sasuke spotted two other kids about the boy’s age, watching from the cover of a tree, with terrified faces.

“That’s the Sandaime’s grandson.“ Naruto growled. “Konohamaru.”

And the kid was in trouble. They shared a look and leapt down, facing the two foreigner shinobi. They flared their chakra just a bit. It was Naruto, who stepped forwards.

“If I were you, _cat-boy_ , I would let the child go. The one you’re holding is Sarutobi Konohamaru, the Sandaime Hokage’s grandson.“ Naruto warned.

“Imagine what the Hokage would think, finding foreign shinobi – _guests_ – bullying his beloved grandson.” Sasuke continoued, stepping next to his brother.

The Suna nin dropped Konohamaru, as if he had been burned. The child scrambled to stand and hid behind Naruto’s leg. Sasuke didn’t take offence. Asura’s chakra, even when flared as a treath, had been warmer – the kid probably didn’t know _why_ , but he was gravitating towards what his mind deemed safer. Besides, Naruto knew the kid’s name, so he must have met him sometime.

Naruto glanced down at Konohamaru and then behind them, where the other two kids were. He patted the kid on the head. “Go _home_ , Konohamaru. _Now_. Take your friends too.”

“S-sure thing, Naruto. Thanks.“ Konohamaru murmured, running. Sasuke didn’t need to take his eyes off of the foreigners to know the kids left, as fast, as possible.

“The little _punk_...“ the cat-suited one growled, glaring after the children.

“Whatever he’d done,“ Sasuke cut him off coldly, “he is a child and a citizen of Konoha. You are guests here and any sort of violence dealt by foreigner shinobi to native civilians, _is an act of war_.“

The Suna shinobi’s face darkened. “Who...“

“ _Shut your mouth_ Kankuro, before you cause more trouble and embarrasment to the village.“ a new voice growled from a nearby tree. Sasuke turned there, seeing a redhead hanging upside down. Then, he was gone in a swirl of sand and appeared not far from the other two.

He had pale green eyes, short red hair – almost Uzumaki red– and thick rings of black around his eyes. He also had a Kanji for ‘love‘ on his forehead. He was the one, exuding Shukaku’s chakra in such sinister waves. (Too much chakra leaking and those dark rings... was Shukaku not sealed properly?)

“G-Gaara...“ the girl murmured, fear flashing in her eyes.

Gaara turned towards them, his eyes flashing with... malice. And maybe just a touch madness. “You... you two are _strong_.“ he growled, pointing at them, “Mother wants your blood.”

The words were as if his brother used _S_ _ūsenju_ to hit him. That... that kid thought that Shukaku was a girl?! And his mother on top of it? _Oh, sweet, saint Rikud_ _ō!_ _What_ had become of the world – and their Bijū siblings– after they had died?

Naruto groaned out loud. “Mother?“ he snorted. “He’s a Bijū, _for the Shinju’s sake!_ And you got the gender wrong, kid. They don’t really have one per se, but if they did, Shukaku would be male.”

The other two Suna shinobi looked at Naruto as if he’d lost his mind.

Sasuke flared his chakra a bit more. “Don’t you recognise us, Shukaku? Has imprisonment dulled your memory enough to forget your own _kin_ , tanuki?“

There was a spike of chakra and the redhead bent down, obviously fighting the influence of the malicious chakra. They could not speak with Shukaku, but this was all the reaction Sasuke needed. Shukaku recognised them. Plus, this was all the proof they needed, to know that the seal was a sham. A bit more pressure and it would break. Not the work of an Uzumaki, for sure.

Gaara finally stood up and looked at them with wide eyes, half crazed, half fearful. “ _Who_ are you? Mother wants your blood...“ he pointed at Sasuke. “But also fears both of you.“

“Oh, _he_ has a reason to fear us.“ Naruto growled. Gaara’s gaze shifted to Naruto. “The name’s Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.”

“Uchiha Sasuke.” The moment they spoke their names, the Jinchūriki’s teammates paled even more.

“We meet in the Exam, Shukaku.“ Naruto said, his eyes lingering on the redhead. “Try not to cause trouble util then.”

They turned, purposefully exposing their backs to the Suna shinobi. Shukaku could see trough his Jinchūriki’s eyes. He would surely recognise the Ōtsutsuki symbol on their backs. True to their thoughts, they weren’t even on the nearest roof, when Gaara’s – or more like Shukaku’s– Killing Intent hit them.

They braced themselves and ignoring the bloodlust radiating from the tanuki, headed for the Hokage office, in an unspoken agreement. Best warn the Hokage.

* * *

Naruto leapt into the Hokage office, only to find, that the window was closed and he was flying towards it with no stopping... _‘Oh, shit!‘_

He formed two chakra chains and sent them ahead. The chains went straight trough, loudly shattering the (innocent) window, anchoring into the office’s sturdy wooden pavement. Oh, he’d have to repair that with Mokuton later. Using the chains, he pulled himself in, shifting his stance to kick in the remains of the window, so the glass would not harm him. He landed in front of the Kage desk in a crouch, chains still attached, while Sasuke stopped in the window, his shoes breaking even more of the small glass parts, that still stuck to the casement.

“Ten points on _collateral damage_ , Otōto.“ he said a smirk appearing on his face.

Naruto scowled. “That freaking window is _always_ open. How in _the Rikud_ _ō_ should I have known he wil have it shut now?“

“Naruto, Sasuke.“ Kakashi called, giving them a warning look. “What are you two doing here?”

Sasuke shrugged, glancing at their sensei before looking at the Hokage. “Business.“

The Hokage studied them for a brif second. “And what is that?“

Naruto stood, retracking his chakra chains with a soft rattle. “We met Jinchūriki, two of them, to be precise. We came cause of Suna’s, but on the way here, we also saw Taki’s.“

Tense silence appeared, the moment he spoke the dreaded word. The Hokage’s eyes glinted sharply. “The identity of Jinchūriki is a village secret, Naruto.”

Naruto gave the Hokage a deadpan look. “We feel each other’s presence. Well, more like I felt them. They didn’t know who I was, ‘cause I made sure to let my chakra mask any and all traces of the furball’s own. Taki brought Shichi’s host.“

The Hokage nodded. “I will remember that. And what of Suna?“

“Suna brought Shukaku’s host, the redhead. Gaara. The problem is, that he is unstable. He was radiating so much of the Bijū chakra, that even the fox roared bloody murder.“

“Oh, so did the tanuki.“ Sasuke said, drawing all the eyes to himself. He had an amused look on his face, as their eyes met. Naruto rolled his eyes. “Roared bloody murderer on _Senju_ , I guess.“

Naruto shrugged. “Not my fault, that the chakra is all the same, Nī-sama. I would think Shukaku does not have fond memories of the last person, who posessed Mokuton.“

The Hokage looked at them before nodding. “Instable, you say?“

Naruto shrugged. “I don’t know enough Fūinjutsu to judge...“ that was a lie, but the others didn’t need to know that, “but all that chakra leaking was not nice. And the crazed look in the guy’s eyes, when he saw us with Sauske...“he shook his head. “And when the guy revealed himself, he brought all that Killing Intent and... madness... I can’t even name the proper emotion. It almost shut down my senses. Keep an eye on him.”

The Hokage’s expression darkened, before it was back to normal. “Thank you for the warning, Naruto. We will keep extra eyes on that group. We will also try to locate the Shichibi’s host. Hm, perhaps you could aid the ANBU later?“

Naruto shrugged. “Sure.” he darted towards Sasuke. “Sorry for the broken window. I’ll patch up the pavement later.“ and then he leapt out, followed by Sasuke.

“What sort of little _monsters_ you two have for students, Kakashi, Yamato?“ asked Asuma, looking at his collegues.

Kakashi and Yamato shared a look. “Cute, protective students, who can be destructive trouble magnets, when they want to be.“ they answered in sync.

* * *

The next day Naruto and Sasuke found themselves pacing in the Namikaze house. Shiro was laying on his pillow, below the window and watched them.

A few days before they’d moved into the apartment, that had been Namikaze Minato’s before he married. After the marriage, the couple had lived in the Uzumaki Compound – which had been destroyed, when Kurama had been unleashed. Luckily, the Namikaze house, on the border of the Merchant and Clan districts, was completely intact and the Hokage had given Naruto the keys after some probing.

It was much more comfortable place to live for the two of them, than the tiny, old apartment on the border of the Red Light District. They had added small personal touches to their rooms. Naruto had taken his father’s old room and Sasuke claimed what Kakashi had said, been the guest room.

“Tomorrow’s the first day.“ Naruto murmured. “The written Exam.“ he groaned. “Why does there have to be something _written_?“

Sasuke stopped and huffed. “That’s our smallest problem right now, Otōto.“

Naruto glared at him heatedly and his eyes seemed to flicker red for a second, altough Sasuke knew that it may very well have been a trick of the light. Naruto’s dense chakra was like another layer to the _Hakke F_ _ūin_ , impossible for Kurama to penetrate. (Not at half power. After all, half of the fox was sealed within the Yondaime and now, the Shinigami.)

“We’ll keep an eye on Shukaku and Chōmei.“ the blonde murmured. “I’m more worried about the Exam.“

Sasuke couldn’t help the chuckle, that escaped him. “We were once capable of craving valleys and make the Bijū cower, just with a few words and you’re _worried_ about a writing _a few words on a piece of paper_?” he asked incredulously.

Naruto’s expression darkened. “I can’t help it! I’m _bad_ at writing things. Well, things, that are not seals.“

Sasuke shook his head. “You know enough to scrape past. But, do you want to go over some of the things we might need?“ he asked in a softer tone. It was obvious, that the blonde was on the werge of a panic attack.

Naruto paused and looked at him for a long moment. Then, his expression turned sheepish. “Please.”

* * *

The next morning, the brothers appeared in front of the Academy, armed to the teeth. Of course, most of their weaponry were hidden beneath their clothes and in easily accessible storage seals on their bodies, that were covered by their clothes.

“Morning boys.“

Naruto grinned at the sight of their senseis. “Kakashi-sensei. Yamato-sensei.“

“Good morning.“ Sasuke greeted, pleased to see the two Jōnin. It helped ease the nerves – especially Naruto’s nerves. (Because _no_ , he, the former prodigy of Ninshū was _not_ on edge. He refused to addmit that he was in fact jumpy, even to his brother.)

“We thought to drop by and wish you luck.“ Yamato said. “But, you won’t really need it. Just give all you have, like you do during training time and you’ll get trough without too much trouble.“

Naruto smiled softly. “Thanks.“

“Now, chop, chop. Go before you’re late.“ Kakashi said making a gesture towards the doors. “Go to Room 301. That’s where the written exam will take place.”

Sasuke hummed and nudged his brother/teammate. “Thank you. Come on, Otōto. The sooner we get trough this, the sooner we can focus on other things.“

Naruto nodded and they walked inside, so close, that their shoulders were touching. But, knowing that the other was there helped both of them keep their minds clear and focused. In this life, they were more codepent, than before. (Heck, before, Indra had been such a loner, that Asura barely saw him, despite Asura being Indra’s greatest treasure in life– his most precious person, even after things had gone downhill. Not that Asura felt like a precious person then, constantly fighting and dodging blows meant to kill.) It wasn’t hard to be, when they had no families of their own and the weight of the past was something no one knew. No one but them (and the Bijū, but only Kurama was here and Kurama was still mostly quiet and brooding).

They were just on the second floor, when they saw a group of Genin gathered in front of a door, guarded by two Chūnin. “This is room 301, no? Let us in then!“ one of the girls shouted.

Naruto ans Sasuke shared a look. Wiping away the Genjutsu with their minds was like flicking off an annoying bug. Huh. _Room 201_. They shared another look and decided to slip past as quietly, as possible. If this bunch couldn’t even detect such a low-level Genjutsu, then perhaps it would be best for them not to participate in the Exam.

They quietly climbed the stairs to the third floor. They barely left the stairs behind, when they ran into three Genin, bearing Konoha headbands. One was a brown-haired girl, the other was a boy wearing green spandex. The last was a Hyūga. Hm, they hadn’t encountered anyone from their uncle Hamura’s descendants, since Hinata...

“Hello. Are you new Genin?“ asked the girl with buns. “Hadn’t seen you around much.“

“Yes, we are new.“ Sasuke answered simply.

The girl studied them for a second. “Oh, I’m Higurashi Tenten by the way. They’re my teammates, Rock Lee and Hyūga Neji.“

“Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.“ the blonde nodded, “and Uchiha Sasuke.”

Tenten’s brown eyes narrowed. “You are Team 13, right? Gai-sensei said there was one selected this year, with only two Genin.”

“Yes, we are.“ Naruto hummed.

“Wait,“ Lee looked at them with wide eyes, “you’ve no third teammate? Why?“

Sasuke shrugged. “The Hokage said so.“

Lee’s eyes shone. “Uchiha Sasuke, you are called a genius of your generation and I wish to fight you. You’re called the best and I wish to see my abilities matched against you. I wish to see your flames of youth!”

Sasuke snorted. “Genius is a relative term. And my answer is no. Not now, before an Exam. Maybe another day, after the Exams. Otōto, we should go before we’re late. Kakashi-sensei said not to be late.“

Naruto tore his gaze from the older Genin and nodded. “Let’s go then, Nī-sama.“ he stole a glance at the others. “Sorry, gotta go. Wish you luck and meet later.”

And with that, they hurried past, leaving three baffled Genin behind. (After all, there was not a single person in Konoha, who didn’t know the joint history of Uchiha and Senju. And these two, hailing from afforementioned opposing Clans, had just called one another brother.)

* * *

Entering the examination room, the two were blasted by a wave of Killing Intent, courtesy of a few foreign shinobi –namely, shinobi from the newly formed village in the Land of Sound, Otogakure. Sasuke glared at them, flashing his Sharingan in warning and then proceeded to ignore them.

“Careful, who you treathen.“ someone said from next to them. “Showing your eyes like that, is a treath, after all.“

Sasuke scowled at the silver-haired boy, who spoke. “ _Of course it is_. And you don’t need to concern yourself with what I do and don’t do.“

The silver-haired Genin raised his hand. “Calm down. I was just trying to give good advice. You’re new this year, right? I’ve participated in these Exams before. It’s dangerous to treathen others like that.“

Sasuke growled. “As I said, _do not concern yourself with what I do_.”

“Sasuke-kun!“ someone shrieked suddenly. Sasuke looked up and a dreadful shiver passed him, as he saw the blonde meneace, by the name of Yamanaka Ino. “Sasuke-kun, I finally see you again.“ Ino said, as she jumped into his neck, drawing many eyes to them.

Sasuke growled even louder and shoved her off, none to gently. Ino stumbled back, her back colliding with Chōji. “Stay away, fangirl.“ he hissed.

Ino’s eyes widened and she paled. Satisfied with her reaction, the Uchiha turned away.

* * *

Sasuke and Naruto watched the fight, which had broken out between a few Sound shinobi and Kiba, after the foreigners attacked Kabuto. Well, attack was a strong word, but they did provoke a fight.

But then suddenly, a man walked in and released a blast of Killing Intent. “ _Settle down_ , magotts!“ the man roared above the commotion. “Find your seats now, before I throw you out even before the Exam starts!”

Everyone gathered did as the man ordered and fell quiet. Satisfised with the results, the man’s Killing Intent disappeared. “Better. My name is Morino Ibiki and I will be the proctor of the first Exam, which will entail filling out a test sheet.“

As Ibiki said that, a few Chūnin took the papers from the desk and started distributing them among the seated Geinin, while Ibiki was writing something on the board. “Now, there are some rules for this exam and whomever breaks them, will be immediately disqualified, along with their teammates...“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are like caffeine :) They make me happy and give energy.


	16. The Forest of Death

“Alright magotts! Time’s up, so put down your pens. Anyone found writing will be disqualified.” the proctor announced after two hours.

Sasuke closed his eyes and allowed his Sharingan to deactivate, as he placed his pen on the desk. As his eyes reverted back to normal, he felt the connection between him and Naruto snap loudly, like a chain breaking.

He wondered, how Naruto had managed to do this. Okay, so it wasn’t Naruto alone. Naruto was hopeless, when it came Genjutsu. Always has been. So he was sure, that his brother kept chewing Kurama for the first twenty minutes of the exam to reach out to _him_. Then, when Kurama reached out to him trough a mind link – courtesy of their special chakra, as well as his Sharingan– Naruto linked their minds trough the use of his chains, channeling the smallest amount of Kurama’s chakra.

So whatever he saw with his Sharingan, Kurama also saw it and the fox told Naruto what to write. It was very convenient, that an undercover Chūnin sat right next to him. In short, whatever he coppied from the Chūnin, Naruto could write it too, despite being a row behind him, three seats to his right.

“Turn your sheets.“ Ibiki instructed. Sasuke flipped it, so he now could only see the blank side of the paper. “Now for the tenth and last question of the Exam. Regarding how you answer this last question, you may proceed to the second round or lose all your points and never become Chūnin.”

“What? You can’t be serious!“ someone called from the back row.

Ibiki glared at the Genin and the Killing Intent in the room spiked again, just like when he had entered. “This is _my_ exam, kid. Whatever I say, will happen. So think carefully and remember, that your choice affects your team. Leave and never become a Chūnin or stay and hope you have enough points to proceed.”

Sasuke glanced backwards and their eyes met. Violet and black. _No._ They won’t leave. A madman was out there, much more dangerous, than this man – a madman, who wanted to resurrect their power-hungry and possibly mad, non-human grandmother. If the seal broke and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya-hime set her gaze on the world again...

They would take this risk of not having enough points (no matter how unlikely that was), because if they walked away now, they would doom the world to destruction and slavery. He gave a tiny nod to his brother and Naruto nodded back. Their gazes shifted ahead again, waiting for the proctor to speak.

Several other Genin however, decided against taking risks. Ibiki nodded and glanced at a paper on his desk. “Numbers 10 and 26 are also disqualified. Along with numbers 11 and 4.”

The two teams left. Ibiki’s gaze swept the room again. “Any others, who wish to leave?“

Three Genin stood up, fear in their eyes. Ibiki hummed. “You’re a team?“

“Yes.“ the kunoichi standing answered. She wore a Taki headband. Ibiki gestured to the door and the three Genin slipped out with their heads hanging.

Sasuke scowled inwardly. _‘Cowards. Cowards, who’ll never be real shinobi, because cowardience will always lurks in the heart of men and no matter what training they go trough, their very nature will not change.‘_

After the door closed, another long minute of silence followed, which unsettled many. As he stole a glance at Naruto, he saw his brother frown. No doubt, the negative emotions in the room were rising with every passing second.

“Congratulations to the remaining Genin, you pass the test.“

“WHAT?!“

Sasuke rubbed his right ear and glared heatedly at the Inuzaka boy. By the Shinju, Kiba was just as loud, as he had been in the Academy. Naruto was also excitable and loud sometimes, but _never_ as loud, as Kiba. How the boy hadn’t gone deaf from his own voice yet? Inuzaka senses were sharper, after all... Looking at Naruto, he saw the Uzumaki rub his own ears, despite being farther from Kiba. But then again, Kurama’s chakra gave the blonde sharper senses, on par with an Inuzaka.

Now that he thought about it, it all made sense. The test with the disguised participants and even this question. An elborate little scheme to weed out the weak and hopless.

“But how? What was the point of the tenth question?“ Sasuke glanced to his other side and found his pink-haired fangirl leaning forward.

Oh, by...! She had been one of the smartest in class. How could she not figure it out? “It was a test of skill and will.“ he said, drawing many eyes to himself. “Information gathering, since the questions were not meant to be answered by us. Cheat, to gather information. The tenth question was a test of will.“

The proctor’s gaze flickered to him and the man gave a nod. “Correct assumption. The test was made to cheat. There were people here, who already knew the answer or had filled out sheets or you were meant to cheat in other ways. Gather information and complete the mission. The last question was indeed a test of will...“

Suddenly, the window shattered and a purple-haired kunoichi flew into the room, dressed in mesh armour and a trench coat. She had a large banner behind her, which read ‘THE SEXY AND SINGLE MITARASHI ANKO, PROCTOR OF THE SECOND EXAM‘.

“You’re early, Anko.“ Ibiki deadpanned.

Anko’s gaze swept the room critically. “There are much more remaining, than in the previous Exams we held, Ibiki. Are you going soft?”

Ibiki shook his head. “No. They’re just an exceptional bunch, I suppose.”

Anko turned away from her collegue, to face them. “Alright brats, the second part of the Exam will be in the Forest of Death, under my lead. Find your way there in twenty minutes or you’re out of the game!“

* * *

“Did you notice her following us?“ Naruto murmured, as they tried slipping further into the commotion surrounding the Forest of Death.

“Sure did.“ Sasuke murmured. His sensory prickled with the vile chakra of the Kusa kunoichi, who’s started staring at them – at him– after leaving the Academy building. “The chakra feels dark.“

“Vile.“ his brother said. “Makes me want to throw up my food.“ they stuck close together and manouvered around the crowd, closer to the proctor, trying to lose the foreigner.

“Alright brats. First and foremost, fill out the sheets that are being distributed.“ Anko said.

“Why is that necessary?“ Sasuke turned at the familiar voice. It was the Suna kunoichi – the one, who was on the same team as Gaara, Shukaku’s host. And the redhead, as if sensing his gaze, looked at him. Sasuke’s eyes narrowed and he saw that flash in his eyes again.

A mix of madness and fear. (Oh, yes. Shukaku _had_ a reason to fear them, especially Asura. He was sure that the blonde would give a piece of his mind to the tanuki about how to and not to handle humans.)

“There will be deaths in this part of the Exam.“ Anko answered. “The sheets are that you acknowledge that and take the risk. So, if anyone dies or ends up crippled for life, Konoha can’t be held responsible.”

Sasuke shared a look with Naruto. Now... that was an interesting approach. An Exam to determine, who were ready to advance on the power ladder and they already spoke of death. But then again, violence was part of human nature, more so for shinobi, than for anyone else.

When the papers reached them, they filled out the form and gave it back. After about twenty minutes, Anko called for their attention again. “Now. Each team will get a scroll. It will be labelled either as _Earth_ or as _Heaven_. To have a chance at passing this part, each team must have one Earth and one Heaven scroll and reach the tower in the middle of the Forest within a week. This will cut your numbers in half, as you will have to fight each other for a second scroll. Anyone, who opens the scrolls before reaching the Tower, will be disqualified and sent home in disgrace! Also, those, who lose a teammate, will also be forbidden from proceeding on to the next round.”

“A week in there? And what of our food?“

Naruto rolled his eyes and Sasuke almost snorted in amusement, as the blonde mouthed “A typical Akimichi question“.

“The forest is filled with animals and plants.“ Anko answered. “You can find everything for survival in there. Food included. However, those who are careless, will be food themselves. Food to the Forest.“ a large, blood-thirsty grin appeared on her face. “Once the gates open, you may begin.“

And then, she was gone in a swirl of leaves.

A few minutes later, they got their own scroll – _Heaven_. So they would need to get an Earth scroll before they could make it towards the Tower. Naruto immediately sealed the scroll in a storage seal, so they wouldn’t lose it.

Then, when the gates opened with thunderous rumble, they leapt into the forest. No matter what, they would reach the tower, in posession of both scrolls.

* * *

They stopped on a high tree branch and watched the other Genin teams pour into the forest, from their carefully concealed spot.

“So any plans, Nī-sama?“ Naruto asked.

“Survive, get a scroll and get to the tower in time.“ the Uchiha answered.

The Jinchūriki deadpanned. “So to-the-point plan. _Genius_.“

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “I don’t know yet. Maybe try confront a team and fight to get an Earth scroll? Then, if we have it, we can focus on survival and getting to the tower. But, we also have to count on meeting a team, who have a Heaven scroll like we do. It would be a setback.“

His brother nodded in agreement. “Let’s head towards the tower. If we meet others, we fight. If we don’t have the scroll, by the time we reach the tower, we can still set a trap for other teams or just simply confront them.“

“Hm, fine. But actually, we could take out anyone, who comes our way. Less people to worry about in the Finals, then.“

Naruto nodded with a grin. “Fine with me.“

* * *

They had been heading towards the middle of the forest, when Sasuke detected it. After passing the same tree twice, he noticed it. The small fluctuation of chakra, that usually meant Genjutsu was in effect. He shared a look with Naruto and the blonde gave a small eye roll, signalling that he had noticed as well. They decided to make another round in the illusion...

 ** _Doton: Dochū Eigyo no Jutsu_** (Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique)

Sasuke flared his chakra, disrupting the illusion, just as Naruto turned to catch the attackers. His brother formed two sealless Shadow Clones, to confront the other two.

The attackers had Ame headbands and wore pale yellow jumpsuits, with rebreathers.

“How did you...?!“ asked the one in the middle, with both of his eyes visible.

“You can’t deceive a Sensor.“ Naruto said, jumping at the middle one. Sasuke raised his hand in a Tiger seal and let loose a fireball, as his brother knocked the other one unconscious. One of two – the one with a single eye visible,– dodged the fireball and jumped at Sasuke.

Sasuke, having no other choice, took on the Ame Genin in a short spar, soon overwhelming the other with speed. The fact, that he could read the other’s movements also helped.

In less than five minutes, the three Ame Genin were tightly bound to a tree with Naruto’s chakra chains and Sasuke crouched down to search for their scroll. Predictably, the Ame shinobi trashed against their bonds, trying to break the chains – uselessly.

“Found it.“ Sasuke said with a small grin. As he showed it to Naruto, both of them chuckled. It was just the one they needed.

“ _Earth_.“ Naruto murmured. “Wonderful. We can head for the tower.“

Sasuke nodded and they leapt into the trees again, ignoring the enraged calls of the other team, in favour of getting out of the forest.

* * *

Despite their best efforts, they’d spent the night in the wild, after defeating the Ame Genin and taking their scroll. They had managed to catch hare for food and Naruto had identified several plants and berries, which were used as seasoning.

They rose with the sun and quickly cleared the evidence of their overnight stay. Naruto checked his storage seals, where their scrolls had been placed, but when he found them in place, they decided to hurry towards the tower. The sooner they got out of this place, the better.

Naruto had mentioned, that it had the lingering feeling of Mokuton – no doubt, from the Shodai’s time – and despite the chakra remants, it still gave him an uneasy feeling. Sasuke had to agree. Something about the place just made him feel... off. He’d always been a light sleeper, but he had barely had any shut eye last night.

They slowed, when they reached a clearing, thinking for a second. Should they pass trough fast and reveal their positions – and possily even walk into a trap – or should they go around the clearing to remain hidden?

Their thought process was abruptly halted, when they were hit by a powerful Killing Intent. They both whirled around, taking a step back, their eyes searching the greenery, from where the chakra had hit.

“Kukuku... I found you two.“ an unknown voice hissed, “You are talented for someone so young, to keep avoiding me for so long, Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun.“

A tall figure melted out of the shadows – pale-skinned, with yellow, snake like eyes, wearing pale grey garbs and a large rope tied around his waist. The attire was completed by a Kusa headband tied around the man’s forehead. Altough, if not for Naruto’s heightened Sensory, the blonde addmited to himself, he would have easily said, that the stranger was a woman.

A woman, or a _man_ too tall – his chakra too powerful– to be a Genin. He was at least a Jōnin. But what was a foreigner Jōnin doing here, in the middle of their Exam?

Eyes narrowed, the boys took a step back. “Who are you and what do you want?“ Naruto asked.

“What do I want?“ the the Kusa shinobi asked. A smirk stretched across his lips. “I want your furry friend, Naruto-kun. And I want the eyes, that hold so much power.“

Then, the man jumped at them and Sasuke attempted to sweep at his legs, but the enemy jumped over it. Meanwhile, Naruto pulled his fist back to punch him. The man caugth it and gave a small grunt, his eyes narrowed. “Your hit is strong, I give you that.”

The man kept his fist in his hand and swung his left for a hit. Naruto dodgoed, but the unknown shinobi was fast, so it still scraped past. Then, he felt Sasuke mould his chakra and without a word, flames sped towards them. Naruto tried sweeping off the enemy’s feet under him – this also enabled him to avoid his brother’s flames.

The move hit, but the enemy... burst into mud. Naruto cursed in the privacy of his mind, leapig back, standing back to back with Sasuke. Where was he? Left, right, above or...?

 _Below_.

The snake-like bastard emerged from the ground. Sasuke leapt upwards – no surprise, his brother had always been faster, than him – but Naruto wasn’t fast enough. The Kusa nin dragged him into the ground. Sasuke released another fire jutsu at the enemy, while Naruto did his best to break the earth around him.

Luckily, he managed to form his chakra chains, which were perfect for freeing him from the ground. Now sufficiently pissed at the unknown man, Naruto formed four seals. Half of the water he needed for the jutsu, was created from his chakra and the other half was drawn from the air around him.

He formed a great wave and sent it towards the snake man, just as Sasuke finished moulding his own chakra, releasing a blast of wind. **“Kyōryoku: Fūsui Rappa no Jutsu!”** (Cooperation: Wind Water Wild Wave Technique) they called at the same time.

The jutsu caught the enemy, along with a few trees. The trees crashed loudly and the boys watched with some satiafaction. Hah! That unknown shinobi was tough and talented, but they had each other. They could work together and having such opposing abilities, sometimes worked in their favour.

The man stood up, his head bent in an unnatural angle, his face split by a large grin, which they could saely say, made him look mad. “Kukuku, you are strong and _talented_ , to be able to work together like that, but you’re still just Genin.”

The man created a clone – a _Shadow Clone_ , which was a Konoha-only technique!– and ran at them, forcing them to split up. Naruto took on the clone, while Sasuke was left to deal with the original. The blonde grit his teeth in anger, as the clone hit him. The strike was fast and precise, just like Indra’s used to be. He’d seen it of course, but despite their best efforts, they were far from their old skills, hence why they preferred to work together these days.

The strike sent him flying into a tree and as he broke a tree bark, he felt a few of his bones break.

 **“Are you going to let him _win_ , Asura?“** Kurama snarled in his mind. **“Are you going to be an emberassment to our father?“**

Naruto slowly stood up, as the clone darted closer. From the corner of his eye, he could see his brother fighting too – but it was obvious, that the stranger was stronger, than they were at the moment. Whoewer this man was, he was _toying_ with them and it grated at him.

 _‘Either help me, so he does not win – because he **did** clearly state he wanted both you and N_ _ī-sama’s Sharingan,– or keep quiet, Kurama. I need to focus.‘_ he shot back at his non-human sibling. (Because, even if Kurama was upset with them for what had happened in the past, he still considered the fox a sibling.)

The eldest of the Bijū grolwed. **“Then, just this once, I shall aid you, so we both survive.”**

And then, suddenly, chakra – powerful, malicious and burning like fire– flooded his body. He spiked his own chakra to contain the energy, as a shrud of boiling redness formed around his body. He crouched down, as he felt his senses sharpening even more and he had no doubt, that his eyes now resembled his fox brother’s too.

A single tail formed behind him, the chakra like a mini, orange shadow of the fox around him.

“Oh, so you’re showing more of your power, aren’t you, Naruto-kun?“

 _“Who are **you**?“_ he growled, allowing Kurama’s voice to overlap his, as the second tail formed. He leapt at the enemy, closer to his old speed, than ever before. Despite Kurama’s chakra covering him, he was still mostly in control of his body. The chakra agumented his abilities, increesing his speed and stenght – landing him a bit closer to what he had once been capable of achieving.

But the clone was still fast. Fast and skilled enough to avoid most of his strikes.... and then the frenzy of his fight was disrupted by a loud, blood-chilling scream.

His eyes snapped over to the scene, where his brother fought. The pale bastard’s neck had enlongened and he’d... _bit_ Sasuke. He could feel the waves of sinister chakra coming from that direction – it was nothing like Kurama’s. Kurama’s was filled with rage and bitterness.

This chakra was malvolent. Mad and sinister in a way he’d neve thought a human’s could be. (Was the stranger even _human?_ )

No. _No one_ hurt his brother and got away with it.

 ** _“N_** ** _ī-sama!“_** he roared, his voice more like Kurama’s, than his own and as his chains formed, rapidly shooting towards the clone, a wave of Killing Intent and scorching chakra left his body. The chains caught the clone and as the Bijū chakra covered it, the clone dispersed in a plume of smoke.

A third tail formed behind him, releasing more power and solidifying the chakra even more. He swiped a clawed hand, followed by a wave of chakra. It tore up the ground, rocking the forest...

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen shivered, when he felt the massive wave of Killing Intent coming from the Forest of Death.

He looked out his window and cursed. Only one creature had such powerful and opressive chakra. Naruto was in posession of two of the three known ways to control and contain a creature, like the Kyūbi. Still, right now, the Fox’s chakra filled the air, filling his bones with dread. Something was wrong – very, _very_ wrong.

“ANBU! With me and someone warn Yamato and Kakashi! We may need their help in containing the Bijū!“ he ordered, as he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

The Hokage prayed to all the gods he could name, that they would make it there in time.

* * *

Sasuke could barely breath trough the pain, which seemed to course trough his body, like his own blood. Still, despite the pain, he was aware enough to see his brother – or _two of his brothers_ – fight that _thing_. He refused to call their enemy human.

He was too snake-like, to be an actual human.

Whoever their enemy was, he was no simple Jōnin. Not if he could handle Naruto, while using Kurama’s chakra, chakra chains and claws flashing everywhere. And jutsu – Naruto’s jutsu were more destructive now, yet the man still seemed to be holding back. He was fighting more seriously now, but he was still holding back and despite that, stalling Naruto.

Sasuke pressed his lips together – they had a lot of training to do, if they ever wanted to get back their former power.

Pain radiated from the bite on his shoulder. He dearly wished this batard gone, so Naruto could have a look at whatever this abomination on him was. The chakra radiating from it, filling his body, was sickening. Powerful, but sickening.

Suddenly, seven chakra signatures appeared, cutting trough the pain. He could identify Kakashi, Yamato and the Hokage. The other four were probably a squad of ANBU.

Naruto landed on the ground snarling, the three chakra tails waving around him wildly. The forest around them was completely torn up, due to Kurama’s chakra and the jutsu that had been torn around. He was glad, that despite using their Bijū sibling’s power, Naruto was still aware enough not to go on a bloody rampage.

“Oh, it seems we’re having company. It was nice meeting you two.“ the man’s yellow eyes landed on him and Sasuke glared at the stranger with his Sharingan. “I hope you’ll enjoy my little gift, Sasuke-kun.”

“Orochimaru!“ the sharp voice of the Hokage thundered, just as the seven people landed a few feet away.

“Soon we’ll meet again, Sarutobi-sensei and then, the leaves of your beloved tree will _burn_!“ the man – Orochimaru– hissed.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, as his mind made sense of what he’d heard, as the black-haired bastard sunk into the grond, even as Naruto leapt at him, Kurama’s chakra lashing out, like massive claws, tearing up even more of the ground.

_Orochimaru. Sarutobi-sensei._

By the Jūbi’s tails.... that had been Orochimaru of the Sannin? The most dangerous missing-nin of the villlage?

Okay, so maybe they hadn’t been _that bad_ , if they had stalled the man long enough, for the Hokage to arrive. The bastard was praised a genius, once even nominated for Hokage, before Naruto’s father outshone him. True, it was very likely, that Orochimaru had been toying with them, but still... Naruto hadn’t used Mokuton and he hadn’t shown the true capabilities of his Sharingan, either.

Naruto roared and turned towards them, his eyes not his – rather, the feral red slits of Kurama. Sasuke saw all of those present tense and Kakashi raised his headband to reveal his Sharingan. He felt Yamato mould chakra as well and he saw his hands turn into wood, just as Kakashi’s Sharingan spun and Kurama snarled...

“ _Not_ the Sharingan!” he snapped at the Hatake, his own eyes activating. The aduts looked at him, as if he’d gone mad.

He stood up, just as Naruto’s – Kurama’s eyes landed on him. **“Indra.”** the fox snarled.

Sasuke took a step closer. “Let him go. We both know he’s too tired to supress your chakra, even with his abilities. Let him go, Kyūbi.”

**“Why should I?“**

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “I may not be an Uzumaki, but that’s the _Shiki F_ _ūjin_. A contract with the Shinigami is not something that can be escaped. Not by me. Nor by Asura. Or you. Let my brother go.“

**“I could just kill you now.“**

Sasuke shook his head, as he took another step closer, ignoring the pain in his body. The fucker surely hit hard and the seal –whatever it was– wasn’t helping either. “And revenge would not get you anywhere. In fact, you would seal your own fate. We’re here to _stop_ him. If you stop me from helping Otōto, you will end up used, like before. Like in the Valley. Or twelve years ago. Besides, if you tried killing me, _you’d be going back on your own word_.”

The fox snarled. **“Watch your mouth,** ** _Tsuki no Uraishi_!” **(Lunar Diviner)

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He had not heard that moniker in ages. He didn’t even remember, how he came to have it – he remembered though, that it was because of his eyes. Because of the Sharingan’s predictive properties. He remembered, that at the dawn of time, those who knew litte of chakra – and even less about him and his family,– thought he could see the many posibilities the future held. “Or what will you do?”

 **“You...”** the chakra flickered and Naruto’s eyes turned back to their natural violet. Sauske relaxed, as he felt the Mokuton rise to the surface and tamper down the fox’s influence.

“Otōto?“

“You should not rile him up so much, Nī-sama.” Naruto murmured, his voice his own, despite the shrud of orange still covering him.

“He should know better, than to try to break the seal, when you wanted a way out of something messy. Besides, I have nothing to do with that mess this time.” Sasuke pointed out, as he took another careful step towards him.

 **“You always have a hand in such things.“** the fox snarled, taking control for another moment. **“All your kin are as mad, as you are!”**

“My kin are gone now, fox.“ he said coolly. “Only Otōto remains.”

“Enough now, furball.“ Naruto growled, his chakra rising again. “The madman’s gone, so you might as well go back to sleep and stop trying to break the seal, or the Shinju help me...!”

The grass around Naruto grew as his Mokuton acted up again and Sasuke swore he also heard the soft rattle of chains. The last traces of the orange chakra all flickered out and Naruto fell to the ground with a groan. Sasuke staggered over to him and fell next to him.

“Are you alright, Otōto?“ he asked, his dark eyes searching his brother’s gaze, just a little bit fretful.

Naruto gave a breathless laugh, as he leaned against his side. “I should be asking you that question, Nī-sama. That abomination _bit_ you.”

Sasuke grunted. “Yeah. Some form of Jūinjutsu, so maybe you could have a look at it later? The chakra inside the seal has settled now, but it’s just under my skin. I hate using power so vile and most of all, I hate using power, that I had not paid a price for.”

“Naruto? Sasuke?“ Kakashi called, walking closer. His face was still tight with worry, his eye remaining uncovered.

Sasuke rose to his feet slowly, dragging his brother with him. “We’re fine. Mostly.“

Naruto hummed. “Yeah. We have an Exam to finish. No way I’m losing this, after all this _mess_. We meet later, Kaka-sensei.”

Then, even before any of those present could stop them, they were gone from the clearing with a _Shunshin_. They had the scrolls and now, they would just have to stumble their way trough the forest, despite their exhaustion.

It shouldn’t be too hard...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Done. This one was the hardest chapter so far. I kept rewriting this and it still would not work out... so I leave it at this, otherwise I would never go on with the fic...  
> I hope the future chapters will be better :3


	17. Shadows and Seals

The boys staggered into the Namikaze appartment, relived. They still had time to spare – they’d completed their task and reached the tower in four days. This was the fourth day and they had already been waved off to rest.

Sasuke leaned against the wall next to the door, as Naruto hurried further into the house. “We’ll get that abomination off of you, Nī-sama.” he called.

Sasuke heard as Naruto gathered his belongings and something crashed – “By the Shinju! Freaking...!” – and he huffed, half annoyed, half amused (his brother was still clumsy). He was tired. Whenever he had to use chakra, he also had to combat the malvolent influence of whatever the seal on him was. It was more draining, than he would have liked. But then again, they’d faced a Sannin _and_ still made it to the tower with time to spare.

Perhaps once Naruto was done with the removal of his seal, he could sleep.

After about fifteen minutes, Naruto was back. “Sasuke?“ his brother asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The Uchiha jolted awake, his eyes narrowing, chakra crackling under his skin. He relaxed, when he realised it was Naruto and grunted. Shit – this thing was realy draining to resist, if he was falling asleep, while standing!

Naruto’s violet eyes were shining with concern, one of his eyebrows arched. “Are you alright?”

Sasuke shook his head. It was pointless to lie to his brother – Naruto could tell when he was lying, besides, the blonde was also good with medical things. He surely noticed the signs of his creeping exhaustion. “No. It’s tiresome to resist that thing and my head wants to split in half. That presistent whispering, surely the seal’s work, is driving me mad.”

“Whispering, you say?”he grunted annoyed. As he opened the door, Naruto threw a hand around him and helped him out of the house.

“Yes. Why?“

The blonde growled and some Killing Intent leaked from him. “That’s bad. It means he has some form of connection with you. He’s in your head, in a way and probably wants to use things against you.”

“Like a _fucking Yamanaka_.” the Uchiha spat. “No. Even worse. Get that thing _off_.”

The Uzumaki gave him a look. “I will. Promise. It will take time and since he’s in your head, in a sense, you’ll have to fight him off. The seal’s just meant to help.“

“Noted.”

“We’ll need space for this. Can we go to the Uchiha grounds?”

Sasuke nodded. “If it’s space you need...“ he murmured, “Fine. The training grounds should be fine. Come on.” he said, taking the lead, while still somewhat leaning on the blonde.

* * *

Naruto drew the symbols across the place – a single mistake and it will either blow up, or the seal will burn out his brother’s soul. Not a nice sort of death. He wasn’t even sure this will work the way he intended it. After all, he had no idea what the seal the Sannin used, was for. It was a seal he’d never seen before, so he was sure it was not among the older Jūinjutsu. It was probably something new or kami forbid, something the snake had invented himself, for the Shinju knows what purpose.

(Of course, while seals were versatile, their use leterally endless, as long as the user had the right knowledge of the subject and enough chakra to power the seal, the basic principales were all the same.) The basic principales his father and uncle had created – the ones he had worked around, mastered and reworked. And it seemed, his kin had done the same after him and Indra had died and now, he had a larger variety of seals to work with, than before.

But sometimes, one must go back to the roots. Having studied the Uzumaki scrolls left by his parents, coupled with his knowledge from a time long past, Naruto was sure he could remove the seal from Sasuke. It might not be easy... but it _would_ work. Failure was not an opinion. He would not let the snake have any hold on his brother.

The ink painted the dusty ground black – the mix of his blood and chakra made the seal even stronger. It was an intircate circle, with six arrow-like additions pointing outwards. The arrows were full of symbols and the myraid of characters swirled into the center, creating a smaller circle.

He grunted when he was done. He could already feel the drain on his reserves. “The seal is done. Take off your shirt and sit in the middle.“ the blonde said, gesturing at it.

Sasuke shed his vest and shirt, dropping on the ground and then he walked into the circle, careful not to ruin the fine patterns his brother had been working on for hours. He settled in _kekkufuza_ in the middle, waiting for Naruto.

Naruto dipped his brush into the mix of ink, blood and liquified chakra. When he was satisfied, he walked over to Sasuke and drew another series of symbols on his skin, most of them centered around the black circle of the unwanted seal.

“Hand on the ground, palm pressed down. I need a contct between the seal and the part on your body.“ he instructed.

Sasuke threw him a curious look, but did as instructed. Naruto carefully did a few linking Kanji, the writing running down his brother’s arm, to flow onto the groud and into the rest of the seal.

His gaze quickly analised the fine drawing and when he found no mistakes, he jumped out. He grabbed the storage scroll he’d brought and unsealed six candles, placing one in each point of the seal, lighting each one with a spark of chakra. Sasuke watched him work quietly.

“It’s going to hurt.“ Naruto murmured. “I thought you better know.”

Sasuke nodded. “Somehow, I had a feeling you would say something like that. But, it’s okay. If it gets this thing off me, I’ll bear it.”

* * *

“A seal you say?“ the Hokage asked, looking at Kakashi and then, at Tenzo. His expression was a mix of worry and wariness. (Whatever his former student has cooked up now, Sarutobi knew it didn’t bode well for anyone. And the fact, that the snake summoner has targeted the two most promising Genin, since Kakashi, didn’t help ease his worries either.)

“I believe so.“ the Mokuton-user affirmed. “We’d seen Sasuke trying to cover it up, as they left the tower. It might have to do something with Orochimaru’s presence.“

The Sandaime’s lips twisted. “We best seek the boys then and fast. Orochimaru has always been way too interested in those with special abilities – Sharingan, Mokuton or chakra chains... it mattered not. I fear what might he have done to Sasuke.“ he said, standing up.

The three shinobi shared a look, before they were gone in swirling wind and leaves.

* * *

Naruto sensed, when the Hokage and their senseis arrived and by the way his brother was looking, the three senior shinobi were right behind him. But right now, the blonde could not bring himself to worry about explanations. Surely, the three noticed the complexity of the array, which Sasuke was sitting in the middle of.

But he’ll deal with their questions later, once Sasuke was safe.

He slammed his hand on the ground, right into the smaller _shikki_ at his feet, which was connected to Sasuke’s seal. **“F** **ūinjutsu: Seishin K** **ōsoku: Jaakuna J** **ōka!”** (Sealing Technique: Spirit Restraints: Evil Prurification)

As he channeled his chakra into the seal, the redish black lines lit up in a soft, orange light and the candles he had placed in each point, blazed brightly. The light from the _shikki_ rapidly crawled trough the symbols and soon, Sasuke’s own body was alight with chakra.

As his brother screamed, Naruto could only flinch pray to the kami, that this would be worth his blood and Sasuke’s pain.

* * *

When Sasuke opened his eyes, the burning from his skin was gone, but the electric prickling remained. He didn’t need to wonder much, where he was – for some reason, he had been tossed into his own mindscape. (But then again, Naruto had wanred him he would have to deal with the seal on his own, in a way. Perhaps that was what his brother had meant.)

As he looked around he noted with dull satisfaction, that his mind reflected his past life more, than the present. He found himself in a familiar clearing, trees circling everything, the great mountains in the distance. The night was clear above his head, the silver crescent of the moon shone, like a beacon of hope trough the dark. In front of him stood the old Ōtsutsuki compound. The one, which his _G_ _ōka Messhitsu_ had sallowed whole, after their father’s death...

 ** _“That’s right.”_** a voice hissed behind him. It was vaguely familiar, but still distorted, so he could not place it, **_“You killed them. You killed them all.”_**

He whirled around to face the source of the voice and... he found himself. It was like looking into a mirror – not in the way, like all those years ago, after the Massacre... no. This was a literal mirror – the one, who stood opposite him, was himself. The only differences were, perhaps the cruel yellow eyes and the sneer on the lips.

“Who are you?” Sasuke demanded coldly, even though a part of his mind already knew the answer. (But no... it could not be. He had dealt with those shadows already, had he not?)

 ** _“I’m you.“_** the reflection spat. **_“Your dark side. The darkest part of your soul. The part, that wants Asura dead, for taking your birthright. The part, that wants Itachi dead, for the bloodbath all those years ago.”_**

* * *

Kakashi’s single eye was wide, as he darted closer to the massive seal. It was such a _complex_ thing... He was sure Kushina-san and Minato-sensei would have been proud of Naruto, if they could see, what the Genin has done. (Again... were his students even Genin?! At this point, he might vote for them to be prompted to Jōnin.)

“What are you doing, Naruto-kun?” the Hokage asked.

The blonde Senju-Uzumaki stole them a glance. “Removing that abomination, that the snake has left behind. The fucker had bitten Nī-sama, when we fought. I don’t know what Jūinjutsu he twisted into that freakish thing, but it’s _not_ staying.” Naruto frowned. “But it was hard to do. And... by how much chakra I have already used, the moment Sasuke wakes up, I’ll be out cold with chakra exhaustion. Perhaps Sasuke too.”

The blonde’s violet eyes landed on him and Kakashi couldn’t help, but recall his earlier musings. Was living two lives possible? Because if it was... that would explain why Naruto and Sasuke were so different from those their age. They were grown men, stuck in the bodies – and with the limits– of young teens. “What is it, Naruto?“ he asked, sensing that the blonde wanted to speak.

“Mind taking us home after this? Please.”

Kakashi hummed. “Not at all. But Minato-sensei’s house...“

“I left the old blood samples in the seal.“ the blonde cut him off. “You can still go in. But... _don’t_ make me regret trusting you, _sensei_.“

Kakashi felt a chill run down his spine, as the blonde’s gaze sharpened at the end of his sentence. Minato-sensei’s dangerous look alright. “I have no intention of breaking your trust, Naruto-kun.“

* * *

Sasuke glared at his shade. “I’ve left those things behind, a long time ago.”

 ** _“Have you?“_** it asked. **_“If you have left it behind, why am I here? We’re in your mind and I’m here, Sasuke.”_**

“You’re here because of that seal. But that seal is abou to be removed. Otōto will deal with it.“

**_“Will he? Why would he do a favour to the man, who’s killed him? You killed your own father. You killed him.”_ **

The Uchiha grit his teeth and spat at the monster in front of him. “I killed him, once. But we have made up, since. We’re brothers now.”

 ** _“Brothers, huh? An Uchiha and a Senju...“_** the reflection snorted. **_“Besides, why would he forgive you the killing of his father? He’s too loyal to family...“_**

Sasuke smirked at the slip up. “Loyal. That’s what he is – _loyal to friends and family_. His parents in this life had been dead already – the work of Madara. And Otō-sama was already dead, by the time i incinerated the compound. I did _not_ kill them.”

 ** _“Still!”_** it snarled, **_“You are Uchiha and Senju. Always at each other’s throats! Besides, he’d stop you from pursuing your revenge against Itachi...!”_**

Sasuke snarled, his eyes morphing into the Mangekyō Sharingan – inside his own mind, he had no limits, like in the outside world. Out there, his body was that of a twelve-year-old. In here, he was as much a twelve-year-old, as much a man grown. Equal parts Sasuke and Indra.

“We swore an oath. And Itachi can rot in the deepest, darkest, most painful corner of _Mugen Tsukuyomi_ , for all I care.“ he drew his tantō and the blade lit up with orange light. “Now begone from my mind, snake spawn!”

The sword drew an elegant, deadly arc of orange and even before the shade could react, the steel cut it in half. The moon shone brighter and suddenly, the orange-black lines of the seal appeared on the clearing. Sasuke smiled, as he caught the meaning of a few symbols.

_Peace. Protection. Hope. Strenght._

Yes. That was what the snake-eyed bastard didn’t know about him. That he lived for Asura – for their shared dream of safety and peace – and not for revenge.

He smiled softly, as he seathed his weapon again. “Arigato, Asura-chan.” he murmured good-naturedly. Here, the blonde could not hear, so he could not whine about being way too old to be called _–chan_.

* * *

Kakashi saw the seal’s lines dull. As the light dulled, the dark lines turned lighter and lighter, until they were just barely visible on the ground.

“Sasuke.“ Naruto murmured, before he passed out. A moment of panic took over Kakashi at that – Naruto was a literal walking chakra batery. How much chakra did that thing take?! His single eye darted over to Sasuke.

As the Uchiha’s eyes opened, he saw the red of his Sharingan. Then, as the Dōjutsu faded, the candles, which had burned brightly until then, were suddenly snuffed out as one, by an invisible hand. Kakashi walked closer – now that the seal had faded, he could actually aproach Sasuke without killing the Uchiha, himself or potentially both of them.

“Arigato, Asura-chan.“ Sasuke breathed, before his own eyes fluttered closed.

Both his students were unconscious, claimed by exhaustion, but Kakashi could not move to help them. He just stood above Sasuke, staring at the Uchiha. His words had been soft, a mere breath on the wind, yet Kakashi has heard it.

Sasuke has called Naruto ‘Asura‘... just like the summons had done two weeks ago... _Why?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments :3


	18. Preliminaries

Yamato darted around the Namikaze house rather aimlessly. After the Hokage had told him what a seemingly impossible feat Naruto had pulled off (not even Jiraya-sama has managed to crack the _shikki_ of the Cursed Seal and Mitarashi Anko had one for years,) he quit ANBU duty for the remaining days of the Exam. The Hokage hadn’t minded all that much and while the Head of the Division was a bit upset about having to rewrite shifts, he’d been let off.

So, right now he was in the Namikaze house along with Kakashi. The boys were still out cold with exhaustion, but the Hokage’s personal medic had dropped in and checked them. She confirmed their faster than normal recovery and that most likely, they would be able to participate in the Prelims – probably not fully recovered, but they would be able to participate.

Kakashi had taken up a spot next to their bed. One of the bed in the house was enough for two people and Kakashi had suggested letting them be next to each other.

Meanwhile, Yamato himself took some liberties to explore the house – it was not as big, as the main house of a Compound, but it was enough for the boys. It was clean and well-kept, seals littering most of the place, meant for protection and maintanance. (Those were probably still the Yondaime’s work.)

He would have thought he’d find something _childish_ in the house, considering it had been claimed by two orphan teens. But there was nothing. The kitchen was stocked with healthy food and some sweets. There were plants on the windowsills and from what he knew, those were herbs and spieces.

There were books and scrolls of all sorts and the boys shinobi gear was kept in a small backroom.

The only thing, that Yamato would have called decorative, other than the plants, was the big scroll hung on the wall. One corner of it had a dragon, holding a sun between its claws, while acorss from it, was a black tiger with white stripes, guarding a crescent moon.

The middle of the scroll had the same circle-moon symbol he had seen the boys wearing on their clothes.

_– balance of power (use force only when there is absolutely no other choice)_

_– respect for life in all shapes and sizes (as well as respecting the dead)_

_– inner understanding and calmness_

_– negotiation, rather than violence_

_– importance of connections, family and friendship, fine balance between friendship and leadership_

_– perceptiveness, determination and believing in the best in the hearts of people, useless proved otherwise_

Yamato raised an eyebrow, as he read the six neat lines of Kanji. Those were interesting points they’d written there. But... he could see it in the boys. He could see, that they lived by those points pinned to the wall. Only now, standing in front of the massive scroll, reading it, did he realise just how different those two were.

Half of what was on that scroll, other graduates would not understand. Hell, there were some even some adults, who didn’t get the meaning of _balance of power_ or _inner understanding and calmness_.

Yamato shook his head, shocked once more at how mature their students were. Half the people he knew weren’t like the boys and those people were twice their age.

He also noticed a small, home-made shrine. Made completely of wood, littered with seals and the six candles on it burning with unfamiliar, powerful black flame. The flowers on it were fresh. Sakura and chrysanthemum. While he recognised the flowers, he didn’t know their meaning... hm, perhaps he should ask Inochi later? The Yamanaka knew such things, owning a flower shop and all that. There were also seals on the shrine, ones he could read meant for... _rememberance_? And repentance...

 _‘Odd.‘_ he mused, _‘What is it, that they don’t want to forget so badly? And why would they want to repent...?‘_

He remembered what Kakashi had dropped one night, when they sat together in the _Croocked Kunai_. They were the very last customers to leave the bar and it was in the last hours, when it was mostly empty, that Kakashi shared his thoughts. About what he’d seen the boys Summon and what the Hokage had told him. How he heard Sasuke call the blonde ‘Asura-chan‘.

At first, Yamato thought that his friend was going mad, but the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. Could.... coult it be _possible_? Was Kakashi perhaps not as mad, as he thought and the boys were not, who they claimed to be?

The Mokuton-user groaned and rubbed his forehead. These two were a constant, massive headache. Why had he even agreed with the Hokage, to teach the boys?

He was brought from his musings, when he heard a soft groan from the room. Throwing one last glance at the wall decoration and the shrine, Yamato hurried into the room.

“Morning, sleeping beauty.“ Kakashi greeted Sasuke, lowering his _Icha Icha_.

The Uchiha growled, glaring at the Hatake. “Call me that just one more time and I’ll fry you alive, _commoner_.“

Yamato flinched at that. The Uchiha and Senju (as well as the Uzumaki) were kind of considered the Royalty of Konoha, being the three Clans, who founded the village. But with all three Clans mostly gone, the survivors few and scattered, it fell forgotten. The contrast between the Founding Clans ans the others had faded over time and by today, it was non-existent. In fact, perhaps the Hyūga could be called royals now, with their great numbers, political power and their old lineage. But that was something no shinobi dared to voice...

The contrast had faded, so Sasuke using such a word against Kakashi was very harsh. And uncalled for.

“ _Sasuke_.“ Yamato admonished lightly, drawing the black eyes to himself. “That was uncalled for, even if he made a jab.”

Sasuke looked irrate for a moment, before his expression smoothed over and he rubbed his face. “Gomen nasai. I’m not in a good mood.” he said, throwing a look at Kakashi.

Kakashi hummed. “Forgiven. I suppose, I should have stayed quiet or should have expected a bad mood, at least. How are you feeling?”

“I hate chakra exhaustion. I suppose Otōto had drawn in some of my chakra into the thing, to tune it for use.“ he groaned. “The next time I see that reptile-faced moron, I’m frying him alive.”

“That was Orochimaru you’ve faced.“ Yamato pointed out seriously. “You would just get killed, trying to pay him back.”

“It’s as much skill, as much a miracle, that Naruto managed to get rid of the seal Orochimaru has left you.“ Kakashi pointed out. “There’s someone in the village with a similar seal for years now and not even Jiraya-sama has managed to remove it. Block it, yes. But not remove it tracelessly, as Naruto has done.”

Sasuke gave a small chuckle, as he slid from the bed. “Otōto’s like that. Always doing what people deem impossible. He’s always been like that. Belive me, I know it.” he muttered, throwing a fond look at the still sleeping blonde.

Then, the Uchiha slipped from the room and Yamato could only stare after him. Sometimes, it was realy like there was an unspoken thing between the two Genin – something important, powerful and unspoken. Something him and Kakashi weren’t privy to.

He wished he knew what it was...

* * *

The next day, the brothers walked into the arena, where their presence had been requested, side by side. Sasuke was seal-free and both of them were rested. Just as the medic had said, not fully recovered, but well enough to fight and even like this, they were sure, that they could win their matches.

They stood among the other participants, with their senseis facing them with the other present Jōnin. The Hokage stood in his full robes in front of them, his face serious.

“Congratulations to every Genin team, who’s made it so far. However, this year we must hold a preliminary round, to cut your numbers. This is necessary, as important people, nobles and future clients will observe the Finals and we cannot waste time. Therefore, only the best among you shall proceed to the Finals. I wish you all luck. But this part of the Exam is no less dangerous, than the rest. So I ask you now, step forward if you do not wish to continue.”

There was a moment of silence, before a silver-haired Konoha nin stepped forward. Sasuke and Naruto recognised him from before – Yakushi Kabuto. “I wish to forheit, Hokage-sama.”

The gathered higher-ups gave him a look, before the village leader nodded. “Very well. You may leave, Yakushi-kun.”

As the Hokage stepped back, a brown-haired Jōnin took his place. “Congratulations for making this far. My name is Gekkō Hayate and I will be the proctor of this Exam. The matches will be one-on-one, until knockout or forheit. I would ask everyone to retreat and watch from the sidelines. Only Uchiha Sasuke and Akado Yoroi are to stay, as theirs is the firs round.”

With the instructions given, the Genin slowly retreated. Naruto stopped for a second and bumped fists with his brother. “Be quick.”

Sasuke gave a small snort, his Sharingan flashing. “He won’t know what hit him.”

Sasuke took his spot on Hayate’s left and as the proctor stood between them, it was almost like his childhood.

_Indra stood on the water, sun shining and glinting on the mirror-ike surface, his hand raised in a half-Ram seal, Asura opposite him. His brother’s brown eyes glinted with determination and Indra couldn’t help the smile, that sneaked its way onto the corner of his lips. Asura was determined to beat him one day and whenever they sparred, he could see that desire in his eyes. This was no different._

_Their father’s face was calm, his eyes studying every single twitch, to correct any mistakes they may make._

_He stole a glance at their father, along with Asura, before their gazes met again._

_“Hajime.” their father called, as if he’d sensed when their eyes had met._

Past and present overlapped, as Hayate leapt from their path. Sasuke leapt forwards, pushing chakra into his feet. Yoroi met him halfway and they started trading blows, each strike faster than the previous one. The other was good, Sasuke had to addmit...

His eyes narrowed, when he felt the other touch his shoulder. He felt that drain... His Sharingan blazed and he saw it – the flow of chakra from his body into his opponent’s.

Yoroi smirked. “So you’ve noticed. Maybe you have some of the skills the village was so fond of saying you posessed.”

Sasuke growled and channeled some lightning chakra trough his feet and kicked Yoroi. The other Genin went flying from the force of the blow, shocked by the lightning.

* * *

Meanwhile on the sidelines, the other Genin and their senseis watched in interest. “Huh? That’s not the Uchiha style he’s using.”

Naruto glanced to the side and his eyes fell on the Sandaime’s son, Sarutobi Asuma. “No, it’s not.“ he said, drawing the others’ attention to himself.

“But why wouldn’t he use his clan style?“ Ino asked, as she stole a glance towards the fighters.

Naruto gave a small snort, as his gaze slipped back towards the arena. “Nī-sama’s many things, but _not_ an idiot. The Uchihas’ style is known among even those, who are not members of the Clan. So, he’s come to the conclusion of using his own style instead – one, that is not known. True, taking into consideration his obvious abilities – like the active Sharingan – there are things, which can be used to calculate his moves, but it’s not as blatantly obvious, as the Interceptor Fist.“

Naruto smirked. “Besides, the big-mouthed bastard forgets Nī-sama’s speciality.”

“His speciality?” asked Kiba in confusion, looking at Naruto, before his eyes were diverted to the stadium.

* * *

Sasuke shook his head, as he saw his opponent stand up slowly. “You’re a fool, if you believe such blows do me any harm. You may be able to absorb chakra, but that does not guarantee your win.“

Yoroi growled. “Does it not? You’ve no chakra to perform any jutsu.“

Sasuke laughed – the sound was quiet and scratching. Mocking to the last note. “Don’t I have? Check again.“ he jumped into the air and formed a Horse seal. **“Katon: G** **ōka Mekkyaku!”** (Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation) the chakra in his body ignited and he breathed out a great, dense wave of flames, that lit the arena in an orange glow.

* * *

“Whoa! I didn’t know the bastard could do such jutsu!“ Kiba exclaimed.

Naruto growled, glaring at Kiba. “ _Watch_ your mouth, Inuzaka-san. You’re speaking about my brother.“ he warned in a cold tone. “And... it’s his favourite move, from all his Katon repertoire.”

“Kakashi!“ Kurenai growled. “That’s a B-rank jutsu, which needs low-Jōnin reserves at least! Why are you teaching such things to Genin!”

“He did not teach Nī-sama anything.“ Naruto cut in again, “That thing was invented by Uchiha Izuna, Madara’s younger brother. Later, after Izuna’s death, the _Mekkyaku_ became Madara’s signature move, which he further developed and wrote down, as years went by. We browsed the library and after he was sure he had enough chakra to safely perform it, Sasuke started learning. As the Heir of the Uchiha Clan, he needs not the consent of anyone, to learn moves from his own library.”

The others stared at him in shock. “You know awfully lot about that thing.“ Shikamaru pointed out.

Naruto laughed. “He’s my brother, Shikamaru. My best friend and brother in everything, but blood. Wait, _scratch that._ He’s my blood brother now. Of course, I know things others don’t.“

“Blood brother?“ Kakashi arched an eyebrow.

Naruto shrugged. “Blood pact. As simple as that.”

“When?“ Yamato asked in surprise.

Naruto chuckled. “In Nami. After the little punk forced him to speak more in one go, than he usually does in a week.”

* * *

Yoroi cursed, barely avoiding the wide wall of flames.

Sasuke landed in the arena gracefully and he did another set of seals. This one was his personal invention, based on Amaterasu. But, unlike Amaterasu, it didn’t need an active Mangekyō to be used. As such, his brother fondly called it the ultimate form of Katon.

 **“Ninsh** **ū: Shiroi Hon** **ō.”** (Shinobi Creed: White Flames) he murmured, his hand raised in a seal – _Tiger_. His chakra spiked, the levels rising until the bluish energy actually formed a visible shrud around his body.

Yoroi tensed at the release of such dense energy and Sasuke couldn’t help the smirk, that formed on his lips. _‘Now, you’ll see what I’m capable of. Try stealing this chakra, bastard.‘_

* * *

Naruto cursed loudly and colorfully, as he saw the chakra shrudding his brother. “Nī-sama! What in the name of the Shinju are you doing?! Do you want to _incinerate_ the entire place?!” he called.

Everyone looked at him, but he ignored it.

“Wait... you know what he’s doing?” asked Asuma. Confusion was written all over his face, along with some shock.

Naruto cursed again, watching his brother’s next move with worry. (Goddamn it! The last time Indra had used those flames with such stenght, it had burned down their Compound. The _Meshitssu_ was a powerful move on its own. Coupled with the White Flames, which didn’t tire the body as much, as Amaterasu, it was utter destruction.)

“He’s about to turn this place into a pile of ashes.” he murmured darkly, his mind flashing back to the destruction left by the flames.

* * *

Sasuke rolled his eyes, as he heard Naruto’s worried – and angry? – call. Instead, he moulded his chakra, ready to finish the match. **“Shiroi H** **ōno: G** **ōkakyū no Jutsu!”** (White Flames: Great Fireball Techinque)

The fireball, that formed from his flames was blinding white with traces of blue here and there. It was beautiful. Beautiful and deadly. Then, it sped towards the enemy at great speed. Yoroi just barely had time to dodge, but even then, he wasn’t fast enough. The white flames caught his clohes and burned it away at a fast rate.

Noticing the problem, the Genin threw himself to the floor with a cry to douse the fire.

Meanwhile, the fireball collided with the wall, leaving massive scorch marks and some smaller cracks at the cenre, shocking the spectators.

Even before Yoroi could stand up, Sasuke jumped over, drawing his blade. The tantō glinted sinisterly in the sunlight, as the Uchiha lowered it to his neck. “It’s over.”

Sasuke looked up at Hayate and the Hokage, who shared a look. Then, Hayate nodded to him. “Shōsha, Uchiha Sasuke!”

A moment after the sentence sounded, Sasuke lowered his sword and turned to leave.

* * *

Naruto couldn’t help, but whack Sasuke across the head, as the Uchiha arrived next to him. It had always been Sasuke/Indra, who gave him the ‘be responsible‘ speech and right now, it was the Sharingan-user, who was being irresponsible. It was rather ironic. “You’re reckless again! The _Shiroi Hon_ _ō_ are not a technique, that get doused by a _Mizurappa_.”

Sasuke rubbed the spot he’d hit and glared. “I know that.”

Naruto huffed. “Do you want the Hokage to deploy an entire ANBU squad to douse a half-burning arena, courtesy of your _pyromaniac tendencies_?”

Sasuke scowled. “I don’t have pyromaniac tendencies, Otōto.”

“Sure you don’t, Nī-sama. If you don’t have pyromaniac tendencies, than I’m not an Uzumaki. You know well, what had happened the last time, when you used those flames.” the blonde shot back. Sasuke flinched and then glared, his Sharingan spinning into visiblity. Naruto matched his gaze without a twitch. “You can’t intimidate me like that. It hadn’t worked in a very long time.”

“Boys. _Boys_ , enough of the childish squabling.“ Kakashi said firmly. “You’ll deal with it, after the matches. Control yourselves now.”

The two brothers scowled at one another, but remained quiet. The Konoha participants watched them with raised eyebrows, a bit shocked –they’d never seen the two act like this before. In fact, the two were prime example of prefect sibling harmony, despite not being actual siblings. (Which was kind of ironic, with Sasuke being an Uchiha and Naruto being a Senju-Uzumaki.) So, seeing them scowl at each other like that, was a shock to their former classmates.

Then came the second round. Shino fought and to the pride of his sensei, the Aburame Heir won against the Oto nin without too much struggle. Kankuro from Suna also won his own match – displaying the usual Suna art of pupetry. Sakura and Ino...

Well, the two girls ended up being the shame of all kunoichi across Konoha – perhaps even across the entire Elemental Nations. Their match ended with a double knockout. The next was another kunoichi pair – Temari and Tenten. They actually showed great skill and strategy, but Temari, due to her use of _Tessen_ and thus, Fūton was at a great advantage. Despite Tenten’s mastery of her weapons, Temari won, marking the entrance of another Suna shinobi to the Finals.

Shikamaru was paired up with a kunoichi from Oto – Tsushi Kin. A temperamental girl, who’d been outsmarted by the Nara and ended up knocking herself out, due to Shikamaru’s shadow manipulation.

“Next match, Senju-Uzumaki Naruto VS Inuzaka Kiba!” Hayate announced.

Kiba howled loudly, as he jumped down into the arena. Naruto stood in a much calmer manner and arrived at Hayate’s side in a precise _Shunshin_ , surprising Kiba.

“I’m going to win this match pretty easily.“ Kiba said confidently.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, as he took his stance. It seemed the Inuzaka had forgotten, that he’d been among the best, when it came to sparring. True, Kiba was also skilled combatant, but for some reason, the blonde doubted the Inuzaka could remain calm enough, trough all their fight, to actually strategise and think. (Oh, he was impulsive too, it was the one thing that his brother kept rubbing under his nose even these days, but Kiba was ten times worse.)

“Hajime!” Hayate called.

Naruto remained unmoving, as Kiba ran at him. He shifted his stance into something more defensive and blocked each of the Inuzaka’s strikes, gently misdirecting a few. The Inuzaka was vicious and relentless, increasing his speed more, as his strikes kept being waved off. Still, Naruto managed to keep up, barely needing to shift now and then, to keep his defences up.

Kiba was fast, but Sasuke was faster – and let’s not talk about Kakashi...

* * *

“Huh? Why isn’t he fighting back?“ asked Choji, stopping in munching his chips, his attention fully on the fight.

“Both the Uzumaki and the Senju Clan style of Taijutsu are defensive.“ Sasuke stated simply, observing the proceedings lazily. Kiba was faster, than many their age, but not as fast, so that he’d need his Sharingan to follow. “Also, his own personal style – it’s as much speed as much defense and precision.“ he conviniently didn’t mention, that it had been his brother’s personal style, from which both afforementioned Clans’ styles stemmed. “He has higher chakra levels, than anyone our age, which also grants him great stamina. They can do this as long as Kiba can keep up and Otōto won’t even be winded.” he leaned on the railing.

An amused smile played on his lips, as he watched the Inuzaka try – and fail– penetrating Naruto’s circle of defence.

“So? Is he going to do it?“ Shikamaru asked, looking at him.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “Do what, Nara?”

“Is Naruto going to make this a game of stamina? Because, if you say yes, then Kiba already lost.“

Sasuke hummed. “That really depends on the Inuzaka. If he keeps his big mouth shut and fights, then yes. If he talks more, than he fights, I believe Otōto will lose it. He’s patient – patience personified, if you ask me, – but there’s only so much he can take of Kiba’s barsh nature and rude comments.”

* * *

“Oh come on you coward!“ Kiba growled, “Fight back!”

Naruto caught the next punch and roughly pushed Kiba back. The Inuzaka staggered back and flipped to keep his balance. “What did you just call me?” the blonde asked, his voice eerie calm.

Kiba glared harder, not noticing the shift in mood. “I said you’re a coward. How can you be related to the Hokage, if you’re a coward? The Yondaime’s son, a coward! They’re probably....” even before Kiba could finish, Naruto punched the ground, tearing up good chunks of it, sending the other spawling backwards.

Naruto’s eyes narrowed on the other Genin, as he released a blast of Killing Intent. “ _Do not speak of my father,_ as if you knew him.”

* * *

Sasuke flinched, when he felt the Killing Intent spike from his brother. Several of the Genin around him shivered, looking towards Naruto with fear. “W-What’s t-that f-feeling?“ Ino murmured.

Sasuke scoffed, shaking off the Killing Intent. “Kiba just got a special ticket to intense care at the hospital. Bringing up his parents is the one sure way of getting him to go bloody murderous in seconds.”

“But he’s always... so...“ Choji murmured.

“Calm? Happy? _Sunny_?“ Sasuke supplied. His foremer classmates all nodded. “Yeah, he is. But that does not mean he is without shadows of his own. Ironically, his heritage is one of those shadows and Kiba’s just brought it up in the worst way possible. He’s only going to have a few broken bones, if luckly.”

“If he’s lucky?“ Neiji asked. “Aren’t you _exagerating_ , Uchiha?“

Sasuke snorted. “Are you _blind_? Have you seen what that strike did to the arena? Senju Tsunade of the Sannin uses similar strikes to _kill_.”

Several participants around him gasped and Sasuke felt a spart of satisfaction at that. He felt their eyes on him, but he ignored it and turned back to watching the fight – or more like how his brother wiped the floor with their former classmate.

* * *

Naruto’s eyes narrowed on Kiba. “What does it do to you, that I’m of the Senju, huh? Or the Uzumaki.”

Kiba growled. “You’re always so aloof. You think we haven’t noticed how you and the bastard Uchiha kept away from the rest of the class, for all those years? You two –the _elite_! Just because your clans were the founders of the village! Just because three of the four Hokage are your relatives!”

Naruto shook his head. “You misread the signs then, Inuzaka-san. We were just merely aware of what life has in store for us. We were serious about that, because we want to survive. It’s _you_ , who plays with his puppy, not me. Nor Sasuke.”

“Why you...!“ Kiba snarled, leaping at him.

Naruto caught his clawed hand and shifted, shoving Kiba away. The Inuzaka staggered again, but this time, the blonde didn’t give him any chance to gather himself. Instead, he gathered his chakra and striked the other Genin with open, chakra laced palms. Kiba cried out in pain.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the stands, two Hyūga forze at the sight of the moves. “That was our _J_ _ūken_!” Neiji called, his expression stormy, as he glared at Sasuke.

Sasuke shook his head. “You are mistaken. Yes, he has a few strikes similar, but it was his own style. Go, ask the Sandaime –he will be able to tell you, that Shodaime-sama had similar strikes in his Taijutsu. The chakra of Senju and Uzumaki is much denser, than mine or yours. It’s... a natural seal, in a way. Their chakra flows differently and if they learn to handle it, they are capable of chakra control mastery, despite their Kage-level reserves. Take the Shodai, for example – dense chakra and great reserves, only matched by Madara and his wife, Uzumaki Mito. Yet, he was still an accomplished medic, with perfect chakra control. Uzumaki Mito herself had similar chakra reserves, yet she used a _Byakug_ _ō_ – the same seal Senju Tsunade has on her forehead. In fact, Tsunade learned the seal from Mito-hime. That thing is the mark of truly perfect chakra control.”

“Na-Naruto-kun’s chakra c-control is r-really th-that good?“ Hinata asked quietly, “I-I mean we n-need perfect chakra c-control to use our T-taijutsu. A-and I r-remember him h-having p-problems w-with the leaf e-exercise.”

“He’s really that good.“ Kakashi said, nodding towards the shy Hyūga. “He needed more serious exercises and he has to practice chakra control more, than Sasuke for example, but this is the payment for it. He’s not on medic level, like Tsunade-sama, but compared to how much chakra he has, this amount of control is impressive anyway.”

* * *

While Sasuke and Kakashi were clearing up the confusion around Naruto’s Taijutsu and chakra control, the Uzumaki himself was about to finish the match. He had mostly dodged the _Gats_ _ūga,_ but it still drew blood, which pissed him off.

Naruto frowned down at the large gash, which was already steaming from the combination of his and Kurama’s chakra, healing at a visibly fast rate. Kiba’s eyes widened, as he saw how fast his wound healed. “What the _hell_?”

Naruto chuckled. “And that’s why I don’t have to worry about the hospital, unlike you.” he dida series of handsigns, releasing his chakra.

Water gathered around him, slowly taking shape.

* * *

“What the fuck, Kakashi?!“ Asuma called, his cigarette falling to the floor. “You didn’t say the kid was proficient with Suiton, like the Nidaime!”

“He isn’t.“ Sasuke said dismissively, a half-grin on his lips. “He just knows enough, to use some water from the air, like the Hokage had and he has more than enough chakra to spare, to create water out of it. I prefer Raiton and Katon. He mostly works with Suiton and Doton, ocassionally Fūton.”

Asuma looked at the Uchiha, as if he’d lost his mind. _‘The kid speaks about elemental manipulation on the highest level and he’s commenting on it, as if it were child’s play. What are you two made of, Uchiha Sasuke?‘_

* * *

Naruto smiled, as he saw the utter shock on Kiba’s face. **“Suiton: Konpeki no Kemono: K** **ōzuki!”** (Water Release: Azure Beast: Flood) the great bubble of water took a vaguely turtle-like shape and then sped towards Kiba.

The Inuzaka grabbed his nin-dog and jumped, trying to get away from the water... but he wasn’t fast enough. The flood caught him and then, the raging waves crashed against the wall. All the spectators winced, knowing the blow Kiba had taken had been a great one.

The water splashed against the wall for a few moments, spraying water everywhere before it slowly calmed down, flowing back onto the arena grounds, turning the whole thing into a great puddle. After a few minutes of silence, Hayate looked at him with a small frown.

“Shōsha, Senju-Uzumaki Naruto!”

Naruto gave a sheepish look to the wet proctor. He’d been unlucky enough to be in the way, as the waves moved around. He raised his hand in a Bird seal and released a soft breath of wind to dry the poor, drenched Jōnin.

When he deemed the task done, the blonde turned on his heels and skipped across the water, back to his waiting teammates.

* * *

Sasuke crossed his arms, eyes narrowed, as he saw his brother approaching, skipping across the water without a care in the world. “So, come again, who’s careless and destructive?” he admonished lightly.

Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “Both of us, I guess. Gomen, Nī-sama.”

Sauske huffed and ruffled the blonde’s untamed spikes, earning himself a trademark Uzumaki glare. “ _Not_ my hair!” he grunted.

Sasuke just huffed, a half-smirk forming on his lips. “Whatever, Senju.”

Naruto huffed and glared, but as Kakashi cleared his troath, they quieted their antics. They fell silent just in time to hear Hayate announce the upcoming fight between Hinata and Neiji.

Now, that would be a fight to remember for sure...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter was already long, so I didn´t add the Neiji VS Hinata, Gaara VS Lee and the Dosu VS Choji. All fights have the canon outcomes - Neiji, Gaara and Dosu win
> 
> About the flowers in the begining:  
> Cherry bloosom/sakura: The brief life of cherry blossoms makes them a symbol of the bittersweet beauty of the impermanent and transient. In China, cherry blossoms are a symbol of a good education and the flower of April. In Japan, cherry blossoms represent wealth and prosperity. They are also the flower of March and the national flower of Japan.
> 
> Chrysanthemum: In China, the chrysanthemum is a symbol of autumn. In many countries the chrysanthemum is a mourning flower and primarily used for funerals. In the United States, however, it symbolizes hope in dark times and optimism and cheer. In Victorian times, white chrysanthemums symbolized truth. A wedding bouquet of white chrysanthemums represented the honest and faithful nature of the bride.  
> (Here, I meant to use both the mouring and the hope part of the symbolism.)


	19. The Meaning of Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein Sasuke/Indra is the prime example of overprotective older brothers...

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure was battling the ultimate nemesis of every village leader – _paperwork_.

He still couldn’t understand, how Minato had any time to spend with Kushina – enough time to even have a son. It seemed, that the more years passed, the more paperwork there was and it was slowly driving him crazy.

The Hokage sighed, looking at the four pictures hung in the office – three of the famed Senjus and one of himself.

“Still battling your eternal enemy, eh sensei?” a voice called from the shadows.

The Hokage shifted and took a calming drag of his pipe. “Jiraiya. I haven’t seen you in... more than a decade. You always send the reports, but you never come.”

A tall white-haired man with dark eyes stepped out from the shadows. His attire consisted of a green short shirt kimono and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armour that was visible at his wrists and ankles. He also wore hand guards, a black belt, a pair of geta and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side.

The Sandaime took another drag of his pipe, as he studied his last loyal student. (Alright, maybe Tsunade was loyal too, but it was questionable. He’d been trying to find her for months, trying to bring her back to Naruto – because Naruto needed someone, who shared his blood, to tell him of his Clans– but it had been for naught so far.)

“Well, keeping Konoha safe from the outside is a busy work, you know.“ the Sannin murmured. “But, I thought I’ll drop by and visit my godson.”

The Sandaime studied his student for a long moment, wondering what he should tell the man about the blonde Jinchūriki. A part of him wanted to share the many good news, another was sure that it would be a wake up call for Jiraiya. The man had ran form Konoha, just like Tsunade after the Fox’s attack. Had he raised and taught cowards, who feared taking responsiblities for their family?

“He should be at the Namikaze appartment, training. The place has big enough backyard, that he does not always seek a training ground.”

Jiraiya blinked. “The Namikaze house. Naruto lives in Minato’s house?!“ the Gama Sennin glared at him heatedly. “Do you want to make a target out of him, old man? Don’t you remember what Minato had asked...”

“ _Don’t_ bring Minato into this, Jiraiya!“ the Hokage warned. “I had my reasons to reveal his heritage. He’s mature enough to handle it. And if you say I failed the boy... perhaps you are right and I had. But _so had you_ – his godfather, whose face he does not even know!”

His student flinched, as if he’d stuck him. “Sensei I...”

“Let’s not speak of this, Jiraiya.“ he said. “It’s better for both of us. You will find him at the Namikaze house, but be prepared.”

The Sannin blinked and arched an eyebrow. “Prepared for what?“

The Hokage took a drag of his pipe. “You will not find a clueless child. You’ll find a sharp, talented shinobi, who has every chance of outshining his parents in the future.”

* * *

Sasuke was sitting calmly in the backyard of the Namikaze house (it was hard to call the place _their house_ , even if it was), meditating and stretching his Sensory. Naruto was inside, preparing their food, as they were done with one half of their training. The rest would come after a few hours long break.

So it was no surprise, that with his senses fully alert, he noticed the powerful chakra signature creeping in. It was as powerful, as he remembered Orochimaru’s, even if without the vile, slippery feeling. This one had a feel of fire to it.

Sharingan active and his tantō crackling with lightning, the Uchiha leapt at the intruder, flaring his chakra in the process to warn his brother. “ _Who_ the hell are you?” he demanded coldly, releasing a wave of Killing Intent.

The white-haired man stopped, his dark eyes a margin wider, than normal, surprise flickering trough his features. Then, suddenly, the ground around him broke and he was bound by dull golden chains.

“What the...?!” the man called, tugging at the chains.

Sasuke felt Naruto approaching, the blonde releasing his own Killing Intent. “My brother asked you a question, _stranger_.“ he said warningly. “Answer.”

The man looked at Naruto and suddenly, his expression was as if he’d been punched in the gut, Senju style. “ _Kami-sama above_. You’re all Minato. And... and Kushina’s eyes...”

Sasuke growled, now even more wary, that he’d heard his godmother’s name. He brought his sword in front of the man’s face. “ ** _What_** _do_ **_you_** _want_ **_here_**?” he asked, puncturing each word with Killing Intent.

He saw a flash of respect in the man’s eyes, but he could also tell, that the older was uncomfortable –either from his KI or from the chains... perhaps both. The man tugged at the chains, but when he realised they held firmly, he sighed and stopped his attempts at escape.

“I’m Jiraiya of the Sannin. Sarutobi-sensei said I’ll find you here. I’ve come to speak with you, Naruto.”

Sasuke shared a look with his brother. If the Sandaime had sent him... he could be trusted. _Maybe_. Slowly, Sasuke allowed his eyes to revert to their natural black, his blade touching the ground and took a few steps back, to stand next to the blonde. Naruto carelessly waved a hand and the chains unwound and disappeared, releasing the Sannin. The man gingerly rubbed his wrist and nodded towards Naruto.

“Strong chains. I remember, that hers hadn’t been this strong at your age. Kushina would be proud of you.”

Naruto gave a slow nod. “Arigato. I hope to live up to my heritage.” Naruto’s eyes swept the man over once more, before he nodded towards the backyard. “Come, have a seat and you can tell us then, why you sought me.”

They walked to the porch, where Sasuke sat and Naruto was about to disappear into the house, but then stopped, looking at Jiraiya. “We were about to eat. Would you care to join us?“

The Sannin grinned and nodded. “I’d thank you. Been a day since I ate.”

Jiraiya sat on the grass, across from him. “And what brings an Uchiha to these grounds? Few of your kin liked Minato. Fugaku and Mikoto were their friends, but otherwise, no one liked him all that much.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “I would say they were being baised, but since no one knew about the Yondaime’s lineage, I think that can be ruled out. Why they didn’t like him, is no concern to me anymore. Naruto is my teammate and the only one I trust with my life and that is it.”

The Sannin blinked at him. “Baised...?“

Sasuke snorted. So the man didn’t know – funny, because if what Kakashi-sensei had said, the man had been the Yondaime’s teacher. But perhaps the Sandaime’s assumption had been correct and the famed _Kiroii no Senk_ _ō_ never sought his roots and thus never found his blood ties to the founders.

Even before more could be said, Naruto returned, balancing three steaming plates of origiri. Sasuke’s eyes shone at the sight of the delicious food – his little brother was a true genius, when it came to cooking. He could barely stop himself, from snatching away the plate. (Those old techings of property were hard to forget, when every time he wanted to break a rule of property, ringed purple eyes appeared in his mind, glaring disapprovingly.)

Naruto stopped and gave a plate to the Sannin and a second one to him. Sasuke’s lips twitched upwards at the food, as Naruto sat down next to him, careful not to drop his own plate. Their shoulders touched, but Sasuke didn’t comment. His brother had always been the kind to prefer physical contact – it was his way of showing affection and of making sure, those he cherished were _there_. It was something he’d developped not long after Shiro died, saving him from that boar.

“What brings one of the famed Sannin to our doorstep?“ his brother asked. Sasuke studied the man carefully, as they munched on their food. (By the way the man was looking at the plate, Naruto’s cooking was among his new favourites.)

Jiraiya sallowed and beamed at Naruto. “Well, can’t I come visit my godson? Besides, you’re having the Finals in a month – I guessed, you might want some tutoring to pick up a few of Minato’s techniques?”

Sasuke forgot how to breath, as the man spoke those words. _Godfather_. This coward fucker was Naruto’s godfather? Slowly, very slowly, he put down his delicious origiri and then turned to face the white-haired man, Sharingan spinning.

“Do I understand you correctly? Did you say Naruto was your godson?”

The man nodded jovially. “Yes, he is my godson.”

Sasuke _pounced_ , chakra seeping from every single pore of his body. Dismembering the bastard seemed like a nice plan –and when he’d screamed for a few hours, he’d have fun killing him with Amaterasu, so there wouldn’t be remains for the ANBU to find.

He tackled the man to the ground, his fingers crackling with the fine, deadly lightning of _Raibari_. He stuck a few of the bluish-purple chakra conjurations into the man, causing the Sannin to hiss, but before he could do actual damage, chains wrapped around his limbs, pulling him down.

“Sasuke! You can’t just attack...!” his brother called.

Sasuke used chakra to stick to the ground, stopping Naruto from dragging him further away. The Sannin stood up, studying him with wariness. “ _Let me go_.“ he growled.

“No.” Naruto said, voice steely.

“ _Let me go_ Otōto. Dismemberment is the least thing he deserves for abandoning you! If he’s your godafather, he should have cared and _not_ ran, like a coward...! Let me go, he’ll just be short a few fingers...!”

“I will not let you go, while you want to burn him.” Naruto said.

Sasuke scowled at the blonde. “Why are you protecting him? He’d deserve what’s coming for him. Let me...”

“I’m not protecting him, Nī-sama. I’m protecting _you_. Attacking a fellow Konoha shinobi has consequences. We don’t need to deal with those.”

Sasuke glared coldly at the shocked Sannin. “If he’s short a few limbs for abandoning you, I will gladly take the consequences.“

Naruto walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t. Petty revenge is not worth it.”

The Uchiha scoffed at the Sannin, but slowly eased his body. Naruto smiled and his chains were retracked into his body again. Then, Naruto helped him stand and when he was on his feet he walked over to Jiraiya.

“Naruto... I...”

Even before the Sannin could form his words, Naruto moved. His chakra-coated fist collided with the man’s stomach and the older doubled over with a groan. “ _That’s_ for running away and being a _coward_ so much, that I didn’t even know your name.“ he hit again and the Sannin couched. “And _that’s_ for breaking the Senju-Uzumaki policies of tight-knit family. You are not one by blood, but if they chose you my as my godfather, it’s as good, as being acknowledged as part of the Clans. And you broke the sacred rules of family, _Sannin_.“

Naruto took a few steps back and glared. “Begone from my property, or I will call the ANBU. Do not seek me again, useless you’ve learnt, what it means to be part of a family.“

“Naruto...“

“My parents are probably turning in thier graves and regret trusting you.“ with those words, Naruto whirled on his heels and stormed inside.

Sasuke’s eyes flashed with the Sharingan, as he glared at the man. “Breaking the trust of an Uzumaki is the worst thing a person can do. Pray to kami he has more of the Senju mercy in him, rather than the Uzumaki temper. Now _leave_ , before I alert the ANBU.”

* * *

Sasuke found his brother in his room, craddling Shiro and battling his tears. He didn’t need enhanced sensory, to know how the blonde was feeling – it was written across his face, clear as day. Sad, angry and disappointed.

“Otōto?“ he asked quietly.

“I’m a disappointment, am I not? Like I used to be. So even those who are supposed to be my last family, have abandonned me. Tsunade does not answer the summons and my godfather only shows his face after more, than a decade.“ he whispere softly.

Sasuke froze, his eyes widening. Those words... those words were of one whose spirit was broken. he could not believe, that this had broken his brother. But perhaps... this had been the last drop in the glass, before it had overflowed?

“A shame on the family so much, that even my last living relatives leave me to my own devices, without even brothering to meet me.”

Sasuke twitched and a part of him wished he had removed at least a few of the Sannin’s fingers. He took a deep breath and tried keeping a calm head. He settled on the bed next to his brother and hugged him. “You are not a disappointment.”

“I am.“ he murmured. “I am and I had always been. Perhaps... Otō-sama should have chosen you and then we would not be in this mess today.”

“You are not a disappointment, _do you hear me,_ _Ōtsutsuki Asura_?“ he hissed softly. “You’re stronger than I am, in many ways. You suceeded where I’d failed and vice versa. We should have never fought. We stand side by side. So, even if the sorry excuse of a Senju, of whom you have every reason to be ashamed and her no-good teammate leave you behind... even then, we have each other. We’re brothers, remember?“

Naruto smiled and nodded leaning into him. “Yeah. _Brothers_.”

“And Kakashi and Yamato are still here. You, them and me. The four of us.“

Naruto sniffed, his breathing slowly calming down. “Yeah. The four of us, like a family. Almost... almost like back then.“

Sasuke hummed, his eyes shifting. “Yes, Otōto. Like back then.” he said softly, his hands drawing small, calming circles on the blonde’s back.

He let his chakra wrap around his brother and the tomoe in his eyes took a complete turn, as the technique took effect.

 ** _Genjutsu: Nemurutsuki_** (Illusionary Technique: Slumbering Moon)

When he was sure Naruto was sleeping and firmly under the effects of the Genjutsu, Sasuke slipped out of the bed and pulled the covers over the blonde. He petted Shiro and smiled at the dog. “Watch over him for me, will you, Shiro?“

The dog gave a small bark and settled on the empty spot on the bed, his fur brushing Narto’s face. Reassured that the blonde was now fine, Sasuke disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

* * *

Sasuke landed gracefully in the Sandaime’s office, just as he’d calculated. And to his satisfaction, the Sannin was right there. With another precise Shunshin, he was right in front of the man and he kicked him where Naruto had hit before, the hit scored, as the man hadn’t expected it. The Sannin groaned and reached for the sturdy desk, to remain upright.

The Uchiha glared down at the white-haired man, his Sharingan glowing omnimously. “If you make Otōto cry again, _I swear on the Rikud_ _ō_ , I’ll fry you before I toss you to my summons for dinner.“

“Sasuke-kun, would you please refrain from violence?“ the Hokage asked. “What is the reason for this anyway, if I may ask?“

“The bastard trespasses to private property, but despite that, Naruto invited him to eat.“ Sasuke growled, “and then he had the balls to say things, that broke my brother and made him cry.“ he spat at Jiraiya. “Some godfather you are, leaving him alone for all his life and then making him _cry_.”

“I...“

Sasuke growled. “Oh, _no_. I don’t give a fuck about what you have to say. Family comes first, no matter what – and you seemed to have forgotten that. Now, my summons will be guaring the house and if just one of them notices you nearby, I will gladly tell my senseis what you’ve done. I’m sure _Kakakshi-sensei_...“ Sasuke smirked when he saw the older man pale at the name, “...will be most delighted to share his thoughts with you, regarding your godfatherly behaviour.”

He took a few steps back and looked at the Hokage. “Sandaime-sama, with all due respect, keep your failure-for-a-godfather _away_ from my brother. Any more emotional trauma and I cannot be sure he will bounce back and actually suceed in containing the Fox.“ his eyes narrowed on the Sannin. “We wouldn’t want Konoha in ruins because of an incompetent, coward godfather, _ne_?”

The Sandaime nodded grimly. “I will take your request into serious consideration, if you believe it affects Naruto so much.”

Sasuke could barely stop himself from grinning triumphantly, when he saw the white-haired man gape at the Hokage. “Sensei...!”

“Jinchūriki need mental and emotional stability to contain their Bijū. That is a fact we know, regardless of which of the Nine are mentioned.“ the older man said, his gaze flickering to his most loyal student. “Sasuke has been living with Naruto for years and I trust his judgement, when it comes to his own _brother_ , Jiraiya. For now please, stay away from Naruto.”

The Uchiha dipped his head towards the aged leader. “Arigato, Hokage-sama. Now, if you forgive me, I have a perturbed brother to return to.“

 _‘Objective accomplished.‘_ Sasuke thought and then he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and share your thoughts! Comments make me happy and give energy :3


	20. Kurama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternatively the chapter, wherein Kurama cannot decide, considering the current predictament, if Mito, Hashirama and Madara were Indra and Asura´s descendants or their ancestors...  
> And, there´s also some family bonding, which the fox doesn´t mind all that much, but SHUSH, his eight other siblings must not know that.

The sun was just barely above the horizon, but the Namikaze appartment was already full of life. Inside the house, two Shadow Clones of Naruto were preparing breakfast.

The brothers were already outside, going trough their warm up spars and target practice, Shiro spawled in the shade of a tree, watching them and munching his meat, which Sasuke had given him before they’d started.

Naruto smirked, avoiding his brother’s kick and delivering his own strike. Sasuke tried avoiding the chakra laced punch, but he proved slow and despite his effort, the blow connected – not where the blonde had intended, but since it was laced with chakra, it still sent the Sharingan-user flying backwards.

Sasuke flipped in the air, landing unsteadily, his back pressed against the wooden fence of the house. He winced a bit, as he tried moving his right arm. Chakra laced punches and medical knowledge were _not_ a good combination. He could see why the Shodai and Tsunade were hailed for their Taijutsu prowess.

“This round’s mine.“ his brother said with a grin.

Sasuke chuckled and stood up. “Yeah, it is. But I won the previous one and the first round had been a tie, so we’re equal.” he walked over to the blonde, who immediately noticed how awkwardly he held his shoulder.

“We are.“ Naruto agreed. “Now, let me have a look at that. Can’t have you injured, can we?“

Sasuke didn’t even comment. It was their usual routine – they’d spar and try to break each other’s bones and at the end, Naruto would patch him up. By then, Kurama would be working on Naruto’s own inuries and once Naruto was done with him, he’d direct his chakra so to help their grumpy Bijū brother.

“We should speak with Kurama.“ Sasuke said quietly, mindful of someone being nearby.

The villagers no longer troubled Naruto, but they still had ANBU around, constantly checking in. They were the last of the two founder clans and Konoha would not risk losing them to enemy shinobi. (By now, both him and Naruto greeted the ANBU on personal level. The only thing they didn’t know, were their names, but that was how it’s supposed to be, so they never pried. Knowing Yamato and Kakashi was different.)

Naruto blinked at him, but the green healing chakra didn’t waver. “Huh? Why would you say that?”

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment. “We’re trying to set things _right_ , aren’t we? We can’t do that, when our siblings hate us. _It’s not right_. I know that once I had a different wiev of them... but it was not right. We’re family. I scoffed on the Sannin for not knowing what family is like, leaving you behind... but we did the same. We... we left the nine of them behind, Otōto. They may never forgive my betrayal and I would understand – I would understand Kurama the most, realy– but they should not leave _you_.”

Naruto’s hands dropped, done with the healing and he smiled. “Then, come and let’s speak with him.”

* * *

Kurama was jolsted to full awareness, when Asura and Indra appeared – or Naruto and Sasuke, as they went by now, not that he could get used to calling the two Ōtsutsuki by such weak, mortal names. Because no matter their faults and the bloodshed they’d left in their wake, Kurama respected power. And his two human brothers had power in _spades_.

“Kurama nī-sama.“ they greeted, as respectful as ever.

Kurama swissed his tails irrately. A part of him could believe, that Asura meant the respect in his tone, but Indra? Indra was too detached, too arrogant and cold... _too Indra_ to mean the respect, that seemed to colour his tone. Kurama scoffed mentally. Even now, when he was behind bars – when the two claimed to work on rectifying their mistakes,– Indra was mocking him.

 **“Asura, Indra.“** he growled. **“Why seek me now?“**

Asura arched a blonde eyebrow – gods, it was so annoying to see his brother being the tiny clone of the nuisance Senju, who’d imprisonned him that night. Of course, it was only appearance and genetics, but it was bothersome anyway.

“Can’t we come to visit our own brother?“ Asura asked. “Don’t tell me you’ve become a recluse over the decades so much, that even when someone offers company – _friendly company_ – you would rather be alone.”

 **“It’s hard to read you these days.“** he huffed. **“Your ancestors – descendants... _whatever_ , were anything but kind to me. It is due to your latest transmigrants, that I’m sitting behind these bars today, so excuse me, if I’m _sceptical_ of your motives.”**

“You can’t tell, you say.“ Indra spoke, his tone just a touch scratching, “But that’s a lie, because you were always capable of telling others’ feelings. You just don’t want to see, that we are honest, because it is easier to _hate_ , is it not?”

Kurama growled, inching closer to the bars and releasing a blast of Killing Intent. (To his disappointment, neither of his brothers even seemed to notice his chakra.) **“Oh, look who’s speaking, _traitor_!”**

“He has long repented for his mistakes.“ Asura said quietly. “We stand side by side now. Just as I had promised Otō-sama on his deathbed. I promised him there would be a day, when Indra and I would stand side by side, just like when we were children. This is that time.“

Kurama flashed his teeth at the Sharingan-user. **“How can you be so sure? What’s the guarantee he will not use his eyes against me, like Madara and the masked fucker had done?”**

Asura huffed. “If you look at the things from that angle, then my chains and Mokuton can also be used against you, as my great uncle and great aunt had done.“ the blonde’s violet eyes – so much like Kushina’s yet so, _so_ different – narrowed on him. “Let us not continou this poisonous cicle, Kurama. This is a different life. Let us _work together_ , for the betterment of this world, as Otō-sama would have wanted. _Please_.”

Kurama almost caved in – Asura was very good, when it came to speaking. He could understand, how Hashirama had gotten so many to fall in step with him. The tree-hugger (literally! seiously, that moron was the embarrasment of the entire Ōtsutsuki line...) had the same uncanny ability to convince others, as Asura.

Perhaps it was the similarity between Hashirama and Asura, why his capture and sealing had hurt so much. The Senju had been like his brother, yet he _wasn’t_ his brother.

But now, his brother –his _brothers_ – stood in front of him, in all their glory. Their appearance was different, but the water of the lake reflected their previous appearance. Familiar brown hair and eyes and the powerful presence. The presence, the power only an Ōtsutsuki could ever hope to possess.

And these two possessed it. They were _not_ Asura and Indra, yet they _were_ Asura and Indra. (Reincarnation was odd like that, especially, if those involved remembered the life they were not supposed to, like now.)

But... could he trust them? Could he trust _Indra_ after all, that had happened?

He looked at them. Asura’s violet eyes were hopeful, pleading. Pleading with him to listen. Kurama’s red eyes shifted and he was met with pitch black gaze (pitch black, like Madara’s had been, before the Sharingan burned in it).

And then, suddenly, the most unexpected thing happened. Indra _bowed_ to him.

(The Tsuki no Uraishi had never been the one to openly show respect to others, only those stronger than him and there had been only two people stronger than Indra. Their father and uncle. Asura didn’t count, as he’d come to his power gradually and by the time the brothers’ power was in the same range, Indra was too far gone to care for anything, but revenge.)

“Gomen nasai, Nī-sama. I know that my actions had brought suffering to you and the others. I cannot take those actions back. But I can make sure things like those won’t happen again.“ he raised his gaze again. “And I can hope, that in the future, all eleven of us can stand together as _family_. To show the world what was the true legacy Otō-sama had left behind. To show them what peace and coexistance is, untainted by mistrust and hate.”

Kurama stared at Indra in shock. Cold, prideful Indra had _bowed_ to him and _apologised_. (Was he caught in a Genjutsu again?) And... was that... was that _regret_ , which he was feeling from his older human brother?

“We’re sorry, Kurama.“ Asura whispered softly, his voice thick with tears.

_They meant it._

As shocking it was to him, after years of hate and mistreatment... his brothers were right in front of him and they meant their words.

Kurama shifted his position and looked at the two tiny humans in the eyes. So, so tiny compared to him... yet with enough power under the fragile exterior to level mountains and carve valleys. Those were his brothers – fragile yet powerful. More powerful, than the humans of present day could comprehend.

 **“You are forgiven.“** he said slowly. Indra’s gaze found his, a spark of hope in his bottomless eyes. **“You too, Indra. We’re family after all, no?”**

Indra’s stance eased and a small smile made its way to his lips (old, stoic Indra, still it seemed), while Asura’s face was split by a grin and suddenly, the seal seemed ten times brighter and warmer. Asura leapt over to him, his little body pressed against his much biger one, in what Kurama guessed was a hug.

Kurama chuckled at the energetic ball of sunshine, that was his youngest brother. Asura hadn’t changed one bit, since that last time. The kitsune shifted his gaze and found Indra lingering in his spot, fondly smiling at the blonde. He huffed and made a gesture with one of his tails. Indra seemed shocked –and a part of Kurama thought he might decline and scoff, as he used to– but instead, he calmly walked over and hugged him too.

Well, him and Asura as well, while Asura still kept clinging to his fur. Kurama huffed and curled his body around the two humans. “Arigato, Kurama.” Indra murmured. (Did he hear _tears_ in the Sharingan-user’s voice? No, it was just his imagination. Indra was way too proud to cry and even if he _did_ , he cried where no one could see.)

 **“It’s good to have you two back.“** he admitted at last.

“It’s good to be back.“ Indra returned, far less hesitant, than Kurama would have thought he’d be.

“Together again.“ Asura murmured. “Like a family.“

“Yeah, Otōto.”

Kurama chuckled. Let the other eight sue him for it, but it was nice, having his brothers back, cute and innocent again. And it was even nicer, that they were hugging him. Indeed, it was almost like so long ago...

 **_‘Are you watching, Otō-sama_** **_? We’ll take care of each other this time, like you’ve told us to. I promise.‘_ **

* * *

Meanwhile, all across Konoha (like Kakashi, Yamato, Jiraiya and several other ANBU) –and even some people _outside_ of the village –a pair of Uchihas and a snake Sannin, to be exact– all had a sudden dreadful shiver. It would be much, _much_ later, that they would figure out the reason for it – no one, who’s ever hurt something (or someone) precious to the infamous Kyūbi, has ever survived to tell the tale.

And the Kyūbi has let go of his hate and promised to his (their) father to take care of his two non-Bijū siblings. And take care of them he would, even if it meant demolishing something with a fully charged _Bij_ _ūdama_.

Kurama was not human, but he was an Ōtsutsuki and Ōtsutsuki took care of their family, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and tell me what you think :3


	21. Seal and Key

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, there is a short conversation between Yamato and Kakashi without words. They only use looks and gestures to communicate. But I wrote down the conversation, so it would be clear for everyone. Those sentences are in italics, without quotation marks and directly after the describing sentences, but still split up, so you know which of them is "speaking".

The blonde frowned, as the jutsu failed yet again.

“Goddamn it! This is my own jutsu! I know how to form it, _so why in the name of the Rikud_ _ō_ doesn’t it work?!”

“What doesn’t work, Otōto?“ his brother asked, opening his eyes. Naruto felt a bit bad for disrupting his meditation, but... but his life depended on this. (Okay, maybe not, because his life normally depended on the amount of ramen he consumed, but this was a close second.)

“ _Amenomihashira_.“ he grunted. “I can’t form it properly. The outer layer gets created, but then before I could finish, the chakra flow gets disrupted.“ he grunted. “It’s so annoying!”

Naruto saw his brother wince a bit at the technique’s name and he almost felt bad. He remembered, that Amenomihashira had been one of his greatest accomplishments and at one point, when he’d been using their Bijū siblings’ chakra in tandem with his own, the jutsu had crippled Indra’s perfect Susanno’o, which was no small feat.

“You don’t just _forget_ how to perform one of your own creations.“ the Uchiha pointed out. “You should be able to do it.“

Naruto snorted. “Keyword, Nī-sama. _Should_.“

 **“I think, I know the answer, to why you keep failing, Ot** **ōto.“** Kurama’s voice rumbled into their minds. Now that they’d made up, the fox had created a pernament mental link between the three of them, using his chakra and the remants of their anceint, Ōtsutsuki chakra. It was convenient, because this way, as long as they were within a certain distance, Sasuke could hear the fox just as clearly, as the Jinchūriki.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. “Now, I’m also intereted in the answer.“

**“It’s because my chakra leaks into your body irregularly, tarnishing your chakra control. Your control is very good, but considering the complex nature of _Amenomihashira_ , it’s not enough, because you need truly perfect control for it.“**

Naruto groaned. “Oh, _fuck it_! How the hell could we deal with this?“

 **“You either shut me off completely or you change the seal. I’m not saying you release it, because your still-growing body would not be able to withstand the strain,** **Ōtsutuki descendant and transigrant or not. You just have to change it a bit. Say... remove the Shinigami’s hold, because the god himself had left a trace of his power in your body, as per the contract of the _Shiki F_** ** _ūjin_. It’s because of that chakra, that mine is so wild. If you changed the seal, the contract would be void and my chakra could flow better. It might even be easier... since I kind of let go of my grudges and we really work together now.”**

The two brothers shared a look. “Sounds like a plan.“ the blonde grinned.

His brother huffed. “You don’t have the _key_ , Asura.“ he deadpanned.

Naruto blinked owlishly. “What?“

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Your seal is possibly the most complex one a Jinchūriki ever had on their body –bar the Jūbi’s seal, but that’s a completely different category, since Otō-sama’s Rinnegan was somehow involved. This means, you can’t just sit down and scrawl something together, to open it. You _could_ do it, but since the Shinigami was involved, messing up the seal could kill you. In short you need the key which your father had written.”

The blonde’s cry of frustration could be heard all across Konoha.

* * *

While the boys were preoccupied with training and meditation, Yamato and Kakashi had just finished their well-deserved relaxation and both of them were ready to return to their duties as senseis. After all, there were still the Exam Finals to deal with and while the boys had been good – no screatch that, the boys had preformed fabulously. So, while the boys had performed fabulously, the Finals were an entirely different thing.

More so, since Sasuke would have to face a half-mad Jinchūriki. (Having seen Gaara’s condition, both Yamato and Kakashi thanked every single kami they could name, for Naruto’s parents’ knowledge in seals. Having a half-mad Kyūbi host, was terrifying even to imagine.)

Their thoughts were interrupted by a loud burp. The two ex-ANBU shared a look and inched closer to the stall, from where the sound had come. There, sitting on a stool they found Jiraiya of the Sannin, drinking like there was no tomorrow.

Yamato raised an eyebrow in silent question, as he nodded towards the white-haired man. _Wasn’t it Tsunade with drinking problems?_

Kakashi nodded. _Yes, she was._

Yamato made a vague gesture. _Then what about him? He seems to have picked up his teammate’s habit._

Kakashi’s eye narrowed, as he threw a look at Jiraiya and then nodded towards the general direaction of the Namikaze estate. _I have no idea, but the bastard should be with Naruto, as his godfather and not here, drinking right next to a bathhouse. He was probably more interested in women, than in his own godson._

Yamato frowned and looked at the Hokage Mountain and then back at his collegue. _How could Yondaime-sama trust him to be Naruto’s godfather? He’s a strong shinobi, but seems irresponsible, when it comes to family._

Kakashi rolled his visible eye with a barely noticable frown under his cloth mask. _Tell me about it. I want to give him a piece of my mind._

With their conversation done – not that anyone, who had seen it, would call the glances and gestures a _conversation_ ,– the two men approached the Sannin.

Kakashi cleared his troath and Jiraiya looked up. “Ah...Kaaakashiii! Long time no sseee.” slurred the toad summoner.

“Long time indeed.“ he said omniously.

And then, on a random impulse – Minato-sensei would not be happy with him, but Kushina would probably cheer him on and he was doing this for Naruto anyway,– he gave a strong right hook to the man. Stong enough to send him flying from his seat. The few, who were present– the owner included,– all looked up in shock at seeing him punch a Sannin.

As Jiraiya stood up, Kakashi glared and released a wave of Killing Intent. “ _Where_ the hell you were all this time?!“ he growled out. “Naruto is your godson, _kami damn it_! Mianto-sensei trusted you to keep an eye on him! And what do _you_ do? The moment Sandaime-sama brings him back from the sealing site, you _run_ , like a coward!”

The Sannin flinched, suddenly all too sober. “Kakashi... I...“

“I might have joined ANBU after they died,“ the Jōnin continoued, “but at least I kept my promise to sensei and Kushina-san! I was after all, among his guards most of the time. He didn’t know my name and face, but he knew I _cared_. He knew my chakra – because he’s a goddamn _Sensor prodigy_ – and he knew that whenever I and my squad were around, he could sleep with both of his eyes closed! When I took them as my Genin, he almost knocked me off my feet, happy to see me, because he knew I was among the few, who _cared_.”

Jiraiya flinched, looking like a scolded child and Kakashi felt a spark of satisfaction. “He looked so much like the two of them...” the older man murmured.

”And he’s even more like them now!” Kakashi bit back, “And it’s something to be proud of. _Not_ thanks to _you_ , though.” Jiraiya looked as if he’d physically hit him, but the overprotective part of him overruled the rational part, so he didn’t mind.

The bar was so silent, that one would hear even a pin drop.

“I’m sorry.“ the Sannin murmured. “Seems like I failed you, huh? Heck, I failed Minato and Naruto too.“

“Yet, you’re still here, _drinking_ instead of speaking with your _godson_.“ Yamato pointed out with a glare, his tone cold enough to freeze over a fireball.

Jiraiya sighed and rubbed his face. “Sarutobi-sensei told me where I would find Naruto. I sought them out and after I told him who I was, he turned his back to me. Than, his _brother_ literally kicked me out of Namikaze property, saying he’d signal the ANBU, if I didn’t leave.”

Kakashi wasn’t so surprised, when he heard that. Him and Yamato wre both kinda protective of the boys (it was something unspoken in the village) but Sasuke was on a completely different sort of protective. He _could_ imagine the Uchiha treathening the Sannin, especially if Jiraiya had upset Nartuo and since the man wasn’t for subtlety in things, that didn’t involve shinobi business... well, he’d probably dumped being Naruto’s godfather on the boys and in the process, his students had lost it.

“And now I can’t even approach him.“ the man huffed.

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow. “How come?”

“Your _Uchiha_ student was in a bad mood, after I left. He sought the Hokage and concinved Sarutobi-sensei, that Naruto’s emotional trumoil places extra, unnecessary strain on the seal. So, I’ve been banned from seeing Naruto for now and on top of that, the Uchiha’s summons – wolves, I think? – circle the estate and I can’t approach because the entire pack would attack me.”

Kakashi and Yamato shared a half amused, half surprised look.

“Conidering how _protective_ those two are of each other,“ Yamato said, “this – or something like this–was to be expected from Sasuke. And would the situation be reversed, I’m sure Naruto would act like this, too.”

“More like _overprotective_ , if you ask me.“ the Sannin grunted.

Kakashi hummed. “Yeah, they are.” he turned away, “Come on, Yamato. Better visit the boys now.”

“ _What_?! Kakashi you can’t just leave me here!”

Kakashi looked back at the older man. “I can and I will. Considering Sasuke’s request and the Hokage’s approval, I _can_ leave you here.”

“But...”

Jiraiya was cut off as a loud, frustrated – and familiar– cry echoed trough the village. Every single citizen froze for a second, seeking the source of the voice. Kakashi and Yamato shared a knowing look. That voice was unmistakable.

“ _Naruto_.“ they said in sync, a light note of panic creeping into their tones.

* * *

Sasuke expected many things from their senseis – he did not expect, however, the utter and complete _panic_ on their faces, as they sped into Namikaze territory. His summons must be doing their task well, if Yamato’s backwards glance was any indication.

“What happened?“ Yamato asked.

“Naruto, are you okay?“ that was Kakashi.

Both of them were tense, totally panicked, as they looked at his brother. “We heard your shout.”

Naruto sat up and sighed. “Yes, I’m fine. Well, mostly.“

“Mostly?“ Yamato asked skeptically.

Naruto grunted. “Otō-san’s seal messes up my chakra control. It would need some modifications. If it keeps messing up my control, I can’t finish the jutsu I’ve been working on.”

“Tha- that’s why you’ve been shouting loud enough for even the Raikage to hear?“ Kakashi asked with a sweatdrop.

The Uzumaki huffed. “It’s _annoying_! You need perfect chakra control for many things, sensei and I _can’t_ do it, because Otō-san just _had_ to use the one and only seal, which would mess up my control! And I can’t even hope to modify the thing, because I would need the key, since the Shinigami had been called upon. And I’ve no clue _where_ the freaking key is!”

Sasuke saw it. The shock and horror mixing on their senseis faces, as Naruto mentioned modifying he seal. Times like this, he would have liked telling the two men, _who_ they really were. Maybe then, they would worry a bit less. (Maybe one of these days they should tell them? Just Kakashi and Yamato, no one else. It would help a lot...)

The two Jōnin shared an unsure look. “There may be someone, who knows where the key is and might even help with your problem.“ Yamato said hesitantly.

* * *

Naruto couldn’t help, but scowl as his godfather approached, flanked by two of his brother’s summons.

“Naruto.“ the man greeted with a nod, his face much more serious, than when they’d met.

“Jiraiya.“ he greeted in a measured tone. He was still displeased with the Sannin leaving him behind, but he could deal with that later. He needed the man’s cooperation for now.

Sasuke nodded to his summons. “Thank you for your aid. You are dismissed. Take the pack with you, please.”

The two wolves wordlessly bowed to Sasuke and nodded to him, before disappearing in plumes of white smoke. A while later, he also heard several other _poofs_ , signalling the entire pack’s departure.

Naruto’s gaze shifted, once the wolves were gone, back to the Sannin. He saw Sasuke glare at the man and Jiraiya flinched, averting his gaze. “I’m sorry.” the Sannin said. “I shouldn’t have left the way I had. I should have done something...“

“Yes, you _should_ have.“ Naruto cut in. His sharp tone caused the man to hiss. “But it is the past and if I keep wondering about what could have been, I will drown in bitterness and forget to live the life I already have. So, I will not wonder, what life would have been, if you weren’t a coward.“ he took a deep breath. “I need the key.”

The Sannin blinked at him. “W- _what_?”

“I need the key of the _Hakke F_ _ūin_.“ (Eight Triagrams Seal) he repeated again, tone sharper.

“Look kid...“

Naruto glared. “I’m _not a kid_ –and I’m certainly not _your_ kid– Sannin, so do not treat me as such. I repeat my request again, so you will clearly understand. I need the key of the seal Otō-san has created.“

“Naruto it’s...”

“ _Now_ , Sannin.“ he said again, eyes narrowing. “If you do not wish to comply with my request, than please leave.”

“Why do you need the key?“ the man asked at last.

Naruto sighed. “Otō-san and Okā-san did a fine job with the seal. However, the way it had been designed, makes it impossible for me to refine my chakra control, which means I cannot use certain techniques. Which is, quite frankly, _annoying_.“ he huffed. “The seal needs certain modifications. If those are done, there will be a chace for my control to improve drastically. And while the seal itself would be a margin weaker, it does not mean the fox would find a way out of it. My Mokuton and chakra chains create extra layers on the original seal, stopping the Bijū from even communicating with me, useless I want to see – or hear– him myself. Admittedly, I had slipped in the Forest of Death, but the Mokuton and chakra chains did their work. There isn’t even a crack on the original seal, despite the release of three tails.“

* * *

Jiraiya couldn’t help, but gape at the blonde before him. Was... was this Minato and Kushina’s son? This... this composed, powerful –because _heck_ , the kid surely had powerful chakra, along with the Uchiha,– intelligent and _aristocratic_ child was his godson?

The intelligence wasn’t so surprising – Minato was a genius, in his own way. But Naruto... Naruto was nothing like Minato. He was nothing like Kushina, either. Yet, he was like both of them at once. How could that be?

The point was, that the intelligence was expected, in a way. The aristocratic behaviour and the commanding presence on the other hand, were new. And gods be good... the kid spoke like someone from the Warring States Era would have! (And _Ot_ _ō-san_? Minato was surely crying in the afterlife, if he could hear how their son addressed both him and Kushina. Neither of them were ones for formalities, after all and especially not within family.)

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. “ _Well_ , Sannin?“

Jiraiya grunted. He could never deal with the aristocrats – combat? infiltration? assassination? fine, he’ll have it done in no time; politics and dealing with nobility? _hell, no!_ – and kami (as well as Kakashi and Yamato) were his witnesses, that the blonde in front of him was a noble in every way. Hell, if only he changed clothes, Jiraiya was sure the blonde would feel right at home in a Daimyo’s Court.

“Fine, fine.“ he sighed. “We’ll have a look at the seal. I’ll help with your chakra control. And then, if we’re already speaking about control, I might even teach you a jutsu. One of Minato’s favourites, deal?“

If possible, Naruto quirked that eyebrow even more (it was so freaking _annoying_! Was the kid from the Warring States Era or _something_?!). Someone his age had _no right_ to be so composed and aristocratic! He should be a bouncy, hyperactive – knowing Kushina– child, disturblingly addicted to ramen and sweets.

“We’ll see what that technique is. Because if you’re saying _Hirashin_ , I will decline. That needs a sort of finery in Fūinjutsu along with extensive knowledge of space-time theory. I may know something of seals, but space-time theory and the limitations and dangers of such jutsu, I’m unaware of.”

 _‘Is he even a tweleve– thirteen-year-old, recently graduated rookie? I surely feel like speaking with Sarutobi-sensei instead. But... no. Not even sensei is so... so... composed. During negotiations, yes, but not on a daily basis.‘_ the man thought.

The Sannin grunted. “Yes, yes whatever. Now, do you want to have a look at that seal, or not?”

* * *

Naruto finished the sealing circle with a huff and offered the brush to Sasuke. “You know what’s the missing character, right, Nī-sama?”

Sasuke nodded. “Of course. Now sit down. I’ll activate it for you. The others are last chance support, if this fails.“

Naruto frowned. “Don’t say that.“ Sasuke shrugged and activated his Sharingan. Seeing his eyes at the ready, Naruto sat in the middle of the array. (Jiraiya had checked it, jsut to be sure. The man had addmitted, that it would hold, but Naruto could see it. The curiousty – he had never seen this seal and was curious how it worked and from _where_ did _he_ know it.)

Naruto settled and nodded to his brother. “Go along.”

Sasuke drew the last missing symbol and then flared his chakra and slammed his hand on the outer rim of the matrix. **“Sharingan Fūin: Gokakukei Shōheki!”** (Copy Wheel Eye Seal: Pentagonal Barrier)

Naruto couldn’t help but wince in pain, as the jutsu took effect and he was forcefully pushed into his own mind.

For a moment, the sinking feeling and spinning darkness disoriented him, even making him a bit sick. But soon, the feeling was gone and he stood firmly on his own.

As Naruto blinked, he found himself in front of Kurama. The fox stood slowly, watching him with a mix of confusion and wariness. **“Asura-kun?”**

“Relax, Kurama.“ he said. “We’re redoing your seal. This will go and for a bit, we’ll be seperate. You’ll land in the outside world, trapped with my body. Nī-sama’s holding that seal. Once I’m done, I’ll bring you back here.”

He channeled some chakra into his hand, making the shikki of the key appear on his arm, his fingers burning with small, bluish-green flames chakra. He slammed his hand on the seal on his stomach and twisted his fingers.

**“I see.”**

And then there was a flash.

* * *

Kurama couldn’t help but snarl, when his eyes fell on the human. The white-haired bastard was all too familiar from Kushina’s memories, as well as the recent drama, surrounding his return to the village. It was that old flashbag’s fault, why Asura had been so upset in the past few days. So when he saw the man, he couldn’t help but snarl and pounce.

Considering how humanity knew him now, as a destructive, malvolent force of nature, it wasn’t even so out of character, he guessed. The annoying, white-haired flashbag, whose name he didn’t even bother remembering took a step back, watching him with worry.

Sadly for Kurama and luckily for the flashbag, Asura’s seal was way too well made to be broken. Besides, Indra was powering the seal, so even if he tried breaking the _shikki_ , his brother would just use his Sharingan to place him to sleep. (As per their agreement, Indra would not attempt such a thing, only if Kurama forced him to.)

“Now, now, stay _inside_.“ Indra admonished.

Kurama snarled, swissing a few of his tails at the white-haired one. **“What is _that_ flashbag doing here?!“**

“Overseeing the redesign of your seal.“ the older Ōtsutsuki answered.

 **“Uzumaki are more than enough qualified for such things. Besides, as annoying as it is, Mokuton does have a few tricks too. Not to mention _you_.”** he huffed, pacing the available space of the seal, circling Asura’s unmoving physical body.

Indra rolled his eyes. “I don’t have enough chakra yet, to do what... Madara had done. Hence, why I need Otōto’s seal as a medium to keep you here.”

**“And _he_ has enough chakra?“**

Indra hummed and gave a small, amused smirk. “I’m not supposed to answer that. Besides, your senses are much better, than a human’s. You can tell yourself.“

Kurama stopped to stare down the only Sharingan-user, whose presence he was willing to stand. **“Are you mocking me, _mortal_?”**

Indra arched an eyebrow, his smirk still in place. “I don’t know. Am I?”

Kurama wanted to huff and settle next to his brother. Now that Indra was himself again, free from outside influences, his chakra was back to being that warm prickliness he’d always liked. Asura’s was cool and calming, while Indra’s was hot and energising. The seal was warmer, since Asura made efforts, but it was nowhere near as warm as Indra’s chakra. And right now, Kurama could use this temporary change in his size and just curl comfortably in Indra’s lap, while his brother passed his time with reading.

Instead, he growled darkly, as he had to play the cold, grumpy, I-hate-humans demon the world knew him as. It was frustrating. He hoped Asura would be done soon.

“ _Cat_ got your tongue, kitsune?“

Kurama’s eyes narrowed and he released some Killing Intent. (He knew that Indra was riling him for the sake of appearances, but mentioning Matatabi really soured his mood.) **“Watch your mouth, human!“**

“Or what? The shikki holds...“

Kurama couldn’t help it. He raised a paw and bared his claws at his brother’s face... only for the seal to freeze him mid-move, as Indra flared his chakra. Kurama swissed his tails wildly and growled. **_‘Damn you Asura! You and your creativity with these freaking seals! Ot_** ** _ō-sama should have never taught you those basics!‘_**

Indra’s red eyes flashed with barely contained laughter, as if he read his thoughts. (Now, wasn’t that strange? Cold, stoic Indra _laughing_...) Was the world ending...?

* * *

Naruto grinned down at the twelve cornered seal, which he’d made on the floor of his mindscape. This should be strong enough to hold Kurama, while giving both him and his fox brother more chance to direct the chakra flow. Sure, this one would drain some of Kurama’s chakra too, but it would be minimal, just to form a link between the two of them.

When he was sure the matrix was flawless, he bit his hand to draw some blood and ran trough the twenty six handseals for the technique.

 **“Ninsh** **ū: F** **ūinjutsu: J** **ūni-kaku Saidan!”** (Ninja Creed: Sealing Technique: Twelve-cornered Altar)

As the seal lit up in a mix of blue and green, the blonde allowed himself to feel triumphant. Then, he raised his free hand in a half Ram, to form his chakra chains, which hot upwards, out into the real world to reach for Kurama.

* * *

Sasuke perked up, when he saw the chains mainfest from Naruto’s abdomen and wrap around Kurama.

“Seems our time together’s cut short.“ he commented offhandedly.

Kurama glared darkly at the golden chains – no doubt reminded of how Mito-hime and Kushina had dealt with him over the years–, as they dragged him back into Naruto. _**“Not again!”**_ he whined, very uncharacteristically. (Of course, to anyone else, who didn’t know the nine the way him and Asura did, the whining was more like angry shouts and a call for blood.)

Soon, the seal appeared on his brother’s body, the previous Uzumaki-like swirl chainging completely into two concentric rings, made by six magatama each. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Which seal had his brother used?

Then, as the seal slowly stopped glowing, Sasuke released the containment seal and the moment he took his hand off of the seal, his Sharingan faded. He felt light-headed from all the chakra use. Just a few more minutes of poweing the seal and he would have been out cold with chakra exhaustion again.

“Done.“ Naruto murmured triumphantly, raising the hand which hadn’t been visible, due to his position. “The Key. Secure it.“

“Sure.“ Sasuke murmured, as he watched the blonde pass out again.

* * *

Jiraiya studied the Key of Naruto’s new seal with interest. The kid was a genius, even better, than his father. From the patterns, it was clear as day, that the seal his godson had used, was part of the famed Uzumaki seals. Not of the Eight Triagrams style – this was much more advanced, but it was Uzumaki work without question.

_Sealing Technique: Twelve-cornered Altar_

As Jiraiya studied the scroll, he could not help but wonder, why Minato hadn’t used _this_ seal, instead of the other two. If he had used this, perhaps he would not have needed to split the Fox and both him and Kushina (or at least _one_ of them) would be alive today.

If this thing had been sitting in the Uzumaki library, why hadn’t it been used? Or perhaps it had been in the Senju compound? If so, it was understandable, why hadn’t it been found. While technically Naruto would have no access to Senju grounds with Tsunade alive, the Hokage had given him leave to enter and explore. There was no sign of Tsunade at all for months now and sensei was growing irrate and restless. The old man had even confessed, that if Tsunade would not be found soon, she would be declared a Missing-nin and everything Senju-related, business or valuables within the village would be Naruto’s.

The Sannin shrugged and gently rolled up the paper.

“Are you done?“

The man sighed and looked to his right, where one bored Uchiha Sasuke was leaning against the wall, watching him with sharp eyes. “Yes, I am.”

The Uchiha stepped away from his spot and stretched out a waiting hand. “Then, hand it over. Naruto asked me to place it safely away and I intend to do so.”

The Gama Sennin gave him the scroll, but didn’t release it. “Where are you planing tó take it...?” he almost added _kid_ to the end, but from how Naruto reacted... he’d rather not see the Uchiha’s reaction.

“My summons will guard it.“ he answered bluntly.

He studied the Genin for a moment, but then released the scroll. The Uchiha nodded at him, satisfied and then turned on his heels. “You are no guest of ours, please leave. I’m sure Otōto will seek you at a later time, at his convenience.“ then, without waiting for an answer, he strode away.

The Sannin remained sitting in the living room, alone and wondered, what those two were made of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please share your opinion! :3


	22. Shocking Revelations

“And this is the _Rasengan_.“ (Spiralling Sphere) Jiraiya stated, nodding towards the solid ball of chakra in his hand.

After the rocky start, they’d made up and the Sannin started dropping in to help geting ready for the Finals. This was the first jutsu the man had shown him and seeing it brought back several memories. This jutsu – created by his father no less!– seemed to be a simple version of his _Amenomihashira_ , which was funny, because before his seal’s replacement, he’d been working on remastering said jutsu.

“What did you say, how did Yondaime-sama come up with this?“ Sasuke asked, studying the ball.

Jiraiya huffed and allowed the ball to fade. “Minato studied the workings of _Bij_ _ūdama_. But... why are you even here? This was supposed to be alone time for me and my godson. And this jutsu is not for your _eyes_.“

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed and Naruto huffed, stepping between the two, before they could start arguing. Despite slowly making up, his brother still felt like dismembering the toad summoner. Better not risk another attempt on the Uchiha’s part.

“He’s my _brother_ and this is his home as well.“ Naruto said. “He may stay and watch, if he wishes.“

“Besides, I’m terrible with chakra control and mostly, shape transformation.“ Sasuke pointed out. “This thing is mostly shape manipulation, like the Uzumaki Hiden. I may understand how it is created, but that does not mean I will be able to create it myself. You don’t have to worry about me copying it. And even if I _did_ copy it, I _would_ ask Naruto first if I could use it, since it’s his father’s jutsu.”

Naruto’s lips twitched upwards in amusement. Never once did Sasuke use the word ‘invention‘, like Jiraiya. Sasuke was having way too much fun with this, the blonde decided. A part of him wished he could form Amenomihashira and show the Sannin, that he has his own, stronger version.

 **“Your chakra contol is better now. Since the redesign of my seal, you had an entire army of clones working on your control and it’s been weeks ago.“** Kurama pointed out. **“You should be able to do it. Show him.”**

Naruto almost rolled his eyes at Kurama. _“Do you want him to have a cardic arrest, N_ _ī-sama? It will be shocking enough for him, that I can do this thing without the three steps he’d mentioned, because I know the theory and how to manipulate my chakra.”_

**“Oh, _come now_ Asura! Just a little fun! Show him you’re even better, than Minato.”**

_“It’s only because I’ve already lived a life.”_ the Jinchūriki stated matter of factly.

“So? Are you taking a try, Naruto?“ the man asked, breaking him from his conversation with his eldest brother.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke, who was nodding and smirking. Oh damn them all! (Maybe he preferred the time, when Indra and the Bijū coudn’t get along?) If he showed his jutsu to their senseis and the Sannin, the Toad Sage could actually end up with a cardic arrest... Sasuke raised a challenging eyebrow and Naruto grunted.

But... they’d thrown _subtlety_ out the window anyway, after the Mizuki incident...

He turned back to the Sannin and grinned. “Now, let _me_ show you something. I’ve been working on this for a while. In fact, this was the jutsu why I said, I need better control. It’s not completely stable yet, so I can’t use it in combat, but I had the theory of it for ages.“ which isn’t even a lie, considering he’d lived his first life at the dawn of chakra, “I actually found time to work on it after the Second Round.”

Jiraiya studied him curiously and nodded. “Alright. Show me. Then, I’ll teach this one to you and perhaps we can figure out how to stabilise your own little invention, if it’s combat effective.”

Sasuke snorted from his spot under the tree, where he was sitting, stroking Shiro. “It’s combat effective for sure.“ he muttered.

“ _N_ _ī-sama!_ “ he said sharply and Sasuke just shrugged. Naruto huffed and glanced at the three senior shinobi.

When he was sure they were paying attention, he gathered his chakra in his hands and cupped them together. Then, as he pulled them apart, the barrier formed with the massive ball of chakra inside it. Then the ball split into five smaller ones, resembling Rasengan... but then the chakra got destabilised and Naruto had to pull his hands away, stopping the chakra flow, to prevent the whole thing from blasting his head off. The blue energy dispersed with a big gust of wind and he sighed.

“I call it _Amenomihashira_.“ (Pillar of Heaven) he said. “As you can see, I haven’t managed to stabilise it yet. If I had kept up the chakra flow, it would have blown up, so it needs some more work, but...”

There was a _thud,_ cutting his sentence off.

Naruto blinked and focused his eyes back on the three teachers. Kakashi and Yamato had saucer-sized eyes and Yamato was gaping (probably Kakashi too, but it wasn’t visible because of his mask) and Jiraiya was passed out, fingers twitching now and then, as if he’d been hit by a Raiton jutsu.

“Oh, _shit_! Did I give him a cardic arrest?!“ he panicked loudly, crouching next to the man with hands glowing green. “Someone _get_ _a medic_ , the Shinju damn it!”

“ _You’re_ the medic in the house, Otōto.” Sasuke murmured, none too concerned. Naruto cursed colourfully, while Kurama was laughing his ass off inside the seal.

* * *

Jiraiya perched on the windowsill of the Hokage office, looking at his sensei. “Did you know our resident Senju-Uzumaki was a genius? Probably even bigger genius, than his father.”

“Is that so?“ his sensei asked with a raised eyebrow.

The Sannin grunted. “I wanted to teach him the Rasengan... but he’s beat me.”

The Hokage raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“He’s been working on a jutsu of his own, before we changed his seal. He showed it to me today. He used only chakra and shape manipulation. He created a chakra barrier with a big Rasengan inside it, then, the Rasengan split into five smaller ones. He said that upon contact, the barrier woud blow up first, letting the other part of the technique continoue towards the target. It’s still incomplete, as it got destabilised halfway, but... damn him. I wanted to teach him something, which was a genius invention of his father’s and he goes and does something _ten times better_ , without knowing what the _hell_ Rasengan looked like.”

His sensei hummed, surprise flickering trough his aged features. “Genius indeed. Have you spoken to him about the Summoning?“

The Sannin sighed. He’d wanted the blonde to be his heir, but it seemed Naruto was already paving his own path in the world, side by side with his Uchiha ‘brother‘. “He has deer summons and the Uchiha has wolves. He declined my offer of working with the toads and then he summoned his familiar. Shirotsuno, I think was the name.” he tapped his chin. “I honesty thought those contracts had been lost to time. I wonder how those two had come to possess them.”

“Perhaps they had an affinity for those Clans and they did a Summoning without contract? If so, that would explain how they signed contracts, that had been lost to humans since before the founding.”

“Maybe.“ the spy agreed. “But those are powerful and ancient Clans. All for tradition and property. I wonder with what had they impressed the Bosses.”

“Have you tried asking them?”

Jiraiya grunted. “Yes and the two of them were even more cryptic, than the Great Toad Sage, which is a feat in itself.”

* * *

Kakashi couldn’t help but wonder once more.

Naruto’s jutsu was surely an impressive one. It was like Minato-sensei’s, yet it seemed to be an improved, more powerful version. And let him not mention the seal the Jinchūriki had redesigned for _himself_. Sure, probably using some old Uzumaki technique, which had been written down, but still.

Kakashi had been hailed as a prodigy of his generation and he had been good. But not _this_ good.

“Senpai?”

Kakashi glanced at Yamato. “Yes?“

“You know, I can’t help but think... I’m _happy_ and _proud_ we have such talented students. But, but it’s also strange that they are so good. And mature. And considerate. Composed. Things, that kids their age usually aren’t.”

“You’re not the only one, who keeps wondering and the more time passes, the more I lean towards my insane theory of reincarantion or whatever.”

Yamato sighed. “And the more time passes, the more I agree with that theory of yours.”

* * *

Sasuke stared at his little brother. “Are you sure? You want us to tell Kakashi and Yamato?“

Naruto hummed. “They surely suspect something by now. We’ve been a team for months. I don’t say we include the Hokage and Jiraiya, but... the two... we’ve known them for ages. They’d been even among our ANBU guard. And as careful as we are, they’d surely noticed, that we aren’t like others our age. Let’s face it – we haven’t even _met_ our former classmates, outside of the Exam. From what I’ve heard, the others met up a few times between Graduation and the Exam.”

The Uchiha sighed. “Fine. I’ll bring them here and you get one of the rooms completely private. We don’t need anyone overhearing this.”

Naruto nodded and disappeared into the house. Sasuke took a deep breath and then jumped onto the rooftops, stretching his Sensory, to look for the two Jōnin, who were like older siblings – parental cousins? – by now. With how close they were, Sasuke supposed Naruto’s desire was justified.

A part of him wanted the two to know, too. So they could discuss things without fear. Besides, the two were talented and experienced shinobi – experienced in _this_ time. He was sure they could benefit from the two being aware of the situation.

He came to a sudden halt, when he sensed the two enter his sensing range. Oh, west to him. He changed directions and landed on the street, from where he felt their signatures. Some civilians looked at him startled, but he ignored them.

“Kakashi-sensei! Yamato-sensei!” he called, walking towards the two.

The two older shinobi stopped and turned to look at him. “What brings you here, Sasuke?“ Yamato asked.

 _‘Now or never.‘_ he told himself.

“We’d like to speak with you in private. Do you have time?“

The two shared a curious look before they nodded.

* * *

Naruto was done with the privacy seals, by the time Sasuke made it back with their senseis. He’d chosen the empty room, which they didn’t use, as it was the smallest and despite being out of use, comfortably furnished.

When the three sat down, Naruto flared his chakra, activating the seals, momentarily basking the room in blue-yellow glow. Once he was sure the seals were in effect, he sat next to Sasuke, facing the two older shinobi.

“What are those privacy seals for, Naruto?“ Kakashi asked.

“What we’re about to tell you is important and might be, at a later time, potentionally dangerous. Especially if others get wind of this. So we thought this conversation should be shinobi-proof kind of private.“ Naruto answered.

“So we need you to promise – no, to _swear_ – never to tell anyone.“ Sasuke said.

Kakashi and Yamato glanced at each other and then they nodded. “We swear.”

Naruto smiled, feeling their honesty. He nodded to Sasuke, who held up both of his hands. “Well then, take our hands.“ Naruto grabbed Sasuke’s and his free one grabbed Yamato’s Sasuke held Kakashi’s and their senseis also joined hands, creating a tiny circle. “I’ll cass a Genjutsu, which will show a few of Naruto’s memories. Let the memories play out and then, you can ask your questions.”

“Alright.“

Sauske activated his Sharingan and then his chakra spiked. **“Jikan no Kagami: Kakose.”** (Mirror of Time: Past Life)

The chakra dragged them down into Naruto’s mindscape – which, unsurprisingly, was as sunny and warm, as the blonde’s personality–, but they also saw many pictures whirl aorund them, too fast to be clearly seen.

Sasuke’s chakra spiked again, his Sharingan whirling. **“Kakose:** **Ōtsutsuki Asura.”** (Past Life: Ōtsutsuki Asura)

Naruto saw surprise flicker trough their senseis’ faces at the name, but before they could even utter a word, the memories started playing.

_They saw a big room, made of fine material, but nowhere near as modern, as these days. It was obvous, that the memory was from someone’s perspective._

_“Nī-chan! In-a nī-chan! Can we go and play outside?“ a childish voice asked, running closer to a second figure. It was a boy with the dark brown, spiky hair and dark brown eyes. He wore a simple kimono top with magatama adorning it and black pants._

_The older chuckled and nodded. “Yes. We’ll just have to tell Otō-sama. I’m sure Shukaku nī-sama wouldn’t mind coming with us. Don’t you agree, Asu-chan?” he stood from where he’d been sitting, taking his brother’s hand._

_The younger pouted. “Don’t call me Asu-chan! I’m too old for that now!”_

_“Of course you are, Otōto. Of course you are.”_

_The scene burled before it changed. They saw the same long-haired boy from before, altough he was older now and he was relaxing on the grass, enjoying the sun. The younger crept closer and poured something on his brother’s head, causing the other to jolt up._

_“What the...!“ dark brown eyes narrowed. “Asura! What is that?!“ he cried indigniantly, trying to get the white paste out of his long hair._

_Asura laughed. “Got you Indra nī-san!”_

_Indra stood up and poured the remants of the paste over Asura’s head, which caused the picture to go black for a bit, before it was back._

_“Indra-kun! Asura-kun!” a third, older voice called. Both boys turned towards the voice. It was a man with redish-brown spiky hair, dressed in similar clothes, as Indra. But his most distinctive features were the small horns n his head and the purple eyes, which had concentric rings._

_“Otō-sama.” Indra greeted, throwing a look at his brother. The man, now identified as the boys’ father, chuckled. “Get cleaned in the river boys. It’s time for diner.”_

_“Hai.”_

_The scene changed once more, this time to a forest._

_“Come on, Shiro! Where you’ve gone off to?” Asura called. There was a whine and rustiling leaves and a big boar appered. Asura cried out and staggered back, as a massive boar appeared, setting its gaze on Asura._

_The small brown-white dog jumped in front of the frightened boy and then right at the boar. But the puppy was no match for the bigger animal. “Asura!”_

_Indra appeared from the bushes, just in time to see as the puppy was wounded by the boar. “Shiro!” Indra called in panic, as he jumped next to his brother. He cradded the now unmoving puppy. They saw a tear escape Indra’s eye and then as he looked up again at his brother – and then garing at the boar,– his eyes were blood red. Red with a tomoe each – an active Sharingan._

_The scene whirled and they were in what seemed to be a small village, altough not much could be seen, as it was burly._

_And there were soft sobs and sips heard too – Asura was crying. As the boy stumbled trough the village with tears in his eyes, there were a few people, who looked up, whispering about what might have reduced the sunny son of the great Hagoromo-sama to tears._

_He wasn’t even paying attention to where he was going so he collided with someone. “Uh.“ he took a step back. “Gomen na...”_

_“Otōto?” a concerned voice called._

_Asura wiped his tears away and looked up. It was his brother. With his long hair in a cylinder, the top short and two stands wrapped in cloth and dressed in the usual high-collared kimono of their family, he looked regal. Every inch the Heir he was. “Indra nī-sama.” he greeted softly. “Gomen... I...”_

_“Why are you crying, Asura?” he asked._

_“It’s nothing.“ the younger murmured._

_Indra’s dark brown eyes narrowed. “You’re an awful liar, Otōto. Besides, we both know what Otō-sama said about lying.“ Indra chastied lightly. “What happened?” Asura didn’t answer and looked away. Indra walked closer. “Asura.” he warned softly._

_“He said you don’t care anymore. That you don’t love me. It’s why you’re away so often.”_

_Indra growled, his Sharingan flaring – this time with all three tomoe in the eyes. “Who dares even **suggesting** I don’t love you?”_

_Asura looked up, gasping in shock. “N-nī-sama?”_

_Indra messed up his hair and leaned closer. “You’re my greatest treasure, Otōto, no matter how clumsy you are or how mischevious. Now, tell me, **who** said such things? Tell me so I can tell them what do I think about them spreading such lies. Those who lie, have no place here, under Otō-sama’s protection.”_

_Asura sniffed, leaning further into Indra’s touch. “Kaji. It was Kaji and his friends.“_

_Indra’s Sharingan spun, promising vegeance. “Go to my room, Otōto. I shall be there shortly.”_

_The scene whirled around, changing._

_This time the two sons sat in front of their father, dressed in travelling gear. The Sennin’s eyes settled on his sons, before he addressed the room. “From this day forwards, Asura is the Heir of Ninshū.”_

_Colors passed again, like a flowing river, changing the scene._

_The two sons were facing each other, chakra whirling around them, uprooting nature alll around. “Nī-sama! Why are you doing this?! Please, come back to us!”_

_“Come back?! To that man?! He’d disregarded me and took my birthright! I’m the older! I should have been the Heir of Ninshū!” Indra delivered a blow, which Asura just barely caught, but there was an explosion of white..._

_... the white slowly took shape. The shape of flames, radiating immense heat. The great_ _Ōtsutuki compound was now burning with blue-white fire._

 **_“Asura-kun, what is this?!”_ ** _a deep rumbling voice asked in panic._

_Asura’s eyes shifted and fell on his brother. “Shukaku-nī-sama. Warn the others. Indra’s flames are spreading! I need Isobu, Saiken and Gyūky to help me. Now!”_

_The great tanuki nodded and turned to hurry away. Meanwhile, Asura moulded his chakra, releasing a torrent of water._

_... for a moment, the scene was taken completely by the clear blue of water, all sound drowned by the splashing of waves._

_When it was clear once more, a massive battlefield could be seen._

_The terrain around them was nothing but charred ruins by now. All traces of life had long disappeared – the animals had fled during the first few clashes and the more jutsu they aimed at one another, the more they damaged the surrounding flora. Not that Indra cared too much for the flora and fauna of the place._

_Asura groaned, as he stood and pain jolted trough his body. Years now – they’d been fighting with Indra for years now, but the promise he’d made to his father, on his deathbed, still rang clearly in his ears. Indra was his brother. He will not leave his brother to forever be drowned in darkness and hate._

_No. He still remembered the loner, but loving Indra, whose greatest treasure was their small family._

_True, he had his own family now, a loving wife and children, but Indra... Indra was his brother – his role model, his treasure. He will not leave him behind._

_He was tired. They’d been fighting for... he didn’t even know how long. The chakra his Bijū siblings had lent him was now gone, only small sparks of it remaining, covering his body in a sheen of gold, helping increase his heeling. But even that was fading fast. He had come to his powers over the years with hard training, but Indra was still powerful and knew most of his moves. Besides, the Sharingan’s predictive abilities were tricky to work around._

_“Time to finish this.“ Indra growled, as he leapt forwards._

_He gathered his remaining strenght and met his brother in the middle of the field. Indra was fast, but he was tired and much less precise, than before. His own wind chakra made his katana dangerous, forcing Indra to pay more attention. It was easier to defend against these deadly strike and in fact, with how sloppy his brother was getting, he could even get an upper hand..._

_But his hand slipped and he staggered._

_Indra immediately noticed the mistake and his lighting-charged blade pierced his skin. Asura grunted in pain, as the lightning jolted trough his body, burling his vision for a second. But Indra was close now. He gripped his chakra tighter and thrus his sword forwards. It tore garments and skin alike, blood gushing from the wound. Indra looked down at the wound in shock, before looing back at him._

_“Nī-sama.... why?”_

_“I’m sorry. It was Zetsu. I know that now – I listened to his sweet whispers of power and look what happened. This... this bloodshed. We cursed our families to war.”_

_“Indra....”_

_But the older fell, his body still, eyes closing slowly._

_Asura staggered as well, falling next to his brother. “I should have seen it. I should have stopped you...”_

The pictures froze and disappeared, leaving the four people standing inside Naruto’s mindscape in complete silence. Sasuke blinked, fighting his tears and flared his chakra to force the pictures away brekaing his own jutsu and leaving them in the eerie quiet clearing.

The boys turned to their teachers, waiting for a reaction. There was none. The older just stood there, wide-eyed and obviously speechless.

“Do you understand?“ Sasuke whispered. “Do you understand now, who we are?”

“By the Sage’s beard.“ Yamato choked out.

* * *

Even when they were back in the real world, everyone inside their own bodies, the two older shinobi were speechless.

“Holy crap and the Sage’s beard.“ Kakashi murmured.

The boys glared at him. “Please refrain from such words, sensei.“ Sasuke said warningly. “That man was once our father once and I don’t think you’d be happy, if people used your father for swearing. For you, he is a legend in this time, but for us, he was very much _real_.”

“Ehn, he, gomen.” Kakashi muttered with a sheepish chuckle. “Bad habit.”

“So... it’s indeed reincarnation, as we suspected?” Yamato asked.

Naruto hummed. “Yes. So you’ve suspected? Since when?“

“I overheard you speaking with your summons after the Wave mission.“ Kakashi said. “Then I noticed small things and then I told Yamato. The more we paid attention to those small things... the more suspicious everything was. But reincarnation is a bit far-fetched, even in the world of shinobi, so... I addmit, I kind of thought I was going mad or something.”

“Gomen, sensei.“ Naruto chuckled. “Well, now you know you aren’t going mad and that it’s true.”

“Is this was the Kyūbi kept calling you Indra and Asura?“ Yamato asked.

Sasuke hummed. “Yes. The nine Bijū are in fact, our older siblings, as Otō-sama created them before our birth.”

 _“Nani?!”_ the two Jōnin shrieked.

“Are you _serious_?“ Kakashi asked, his single eye wide.

Naruto hummed and nodded. “Dead serious. We’re one big family – the Bijū, Otō-sama, Indra here–“ he jabbed Sasuke, “and myslef. Oh and let’s not forget Hamura oji-sama and his daughters.”

“Are you going to say, that your uncle is another famous person?“ Yamato asked with a deadpan.

“Oji-sama moved away from Earth with the other members of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, after order was established in the world. But his daughters had families here. In fact, they formed Great Clans too. The older became the progenitor of the Kaguya Clan and the younger’s descendant’s formed the Hyūga Clan.”

Kakashi and Yamato both groaned. “By the Sage’s beard.“

“Yamato-sensei!” Naruto huffed, eyes narrowing on the other Mokuton-user. Yamato blinked and then smiled sheepishly.

“Gomen, Naruto.”

“So...” Kakashi murmured, “Does this mean we have to call you ‘Indra-sama‘ and ‘Asura-sama‘ and go about bowing, like your summons do?”

Naruto hummed. “Welll...” The two older shared a look, but then Naruto laughed. “Hell, _no_! You two are like family.”

“Besides,“ Sasuke said, “we’re as much Naruto and Sasuke, as much Asura and Indra. Plus, you two are like family by now, as Naruto said. Our summons call us by those names only because they’d recognised us. We’d signed our Contracts in our previous life and those two Clans are ones for tradition. And we had earned their respect, as much as they had earned ours.”

“So... if I looked at a Contract, I wouldn’t find Senju-Uzumaki Naruto on the list, but Ōtsutsuki Asura?“ Yamato asked.

“Prety much.“ the blonde nodded.

“But... why did you reincarnate? And remember?” Kakashi asked.

The two shared a look and then Sasuke sighed. “Well there’s this Uchiha and –well two of them,– who controlled Kyūbi... oh and they have this utterly, and completely _mad_ plan to release our grandmother, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya-hime from her prison in the moon, whom you could call a goddess, with all the power she has. And she kind of wants to destroy the world and then reshape it into her own image, making humanity her slaves...”

Kakashi and Yamato shared a look, a single thought flashing trough their minds. _‘That’s not in the job description for shinobi, so I need a freaking raise.‘_


	23. Here Are the Finals!

Two days after the revelation, Team Thirteen made their way into the arena, where the Finals were to be held. The entire place was loud and full of life, even more foreigners and nobles swamming the already packed streets of the village.

As they walked in, the other finalists eyed them with no small amount of wariness. Still, there was one person, whom they sought. Gaara. The redhead’s eyes were shining with the madness induced by Shukaku’s power.

“We have to do something about Shukaku. That’s no way to treat his Jinchūriki.“ Naruto murmured, as they took their places on the sidelines.

“Not everyone are like you boys.“ Kakashi said. “And they are certainly not like _you_ , Naruto. There are three Clans, whose skill and powers allowed them to...“

“...subdue our nine siblings.“ Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Yes. Mine and Otōto’s kin and even among them, only a few were powerful and skilled enough. You need not remind us of that. However, mistreating their hosts in such a way is not something our siblings should be doing, either.” he looked at Naruto. “We’ll deal with them later, okay?”

“I welcome all participants to the Final round of the Chūnin Exams...” the Hokage stood, looking down at them from his spot in the private booth.

It was not exactly a nice thing to do, but they tuned out the village leader, studying Gaara and wondering how to stop him from losing his head – because a wrong move and he would lose his head, releasing Shukaku and the tanuki tampering in the middle of their village was not a nice scenario, even to imagine much less live trough...

Luckily – and unknown to anyone, but Kakashi and Yamato– both of them had enough chakra to supress Shukaku, if must. But that was not a skill they would reveal any time soon.

With the speech done, a brown-haired Jōnin stepped forwards, munching on a senbon. (Who munched on senbon for _fun_?!)

“Let the first round begin! I call the two combatants – Hyūga Neji and Senju-Uzumaki Naruto!”

“Remember how Byakugan works?“ Sasuke murmured, as the arena was loud with shocked cries and restless people at hearing the name _Senju_.

Naruto nodded with a small roll of his eyes. “Of course, Nī-sama. Unlike you, I used to fight aginst Mitra-chan. Not to mention we had both seen Hinata fight in the Academy and had been mathced against her, as well. Besides, I know how to unlock my _tenketsu_ , if he closes a few.”

He _Shunshin_ ed down into the arena and stood on Genma’s right, taking his fighting stance. Neji gave him a cold look. (It was almost like Indra’s after Zetsu had taken hold of him, with those dark whispers. It was the same look – only in different eyes. In pale, silvery eyes insted of brown ones.)

“Ready to lose? Fate has already declared me the winner anyway. You may be a Senju, but don’t think I don’t know you were among the last ones in your class. You just barely passed.”

Naruto met Neji’s gaze without blinking. “Every single person are free to shape their will. They may be loners or ones, who have friends – it’s all based on our own decisions.”

The proctor lowered his hand and glanced at them. “Get ready.”

Neiji took the _J_ _ūken_ stance and Naruto took his own. “Hajime!” Genma called as he leapt back, giving them more space.

The Hyūga was the first one to attack, as he activated his Dōjutsu. Naruto waited and allowed him to strike. As the chakra-laced hands got near, the blonde raised his own hands, reinforcing them with chakra and batting away each strike.

“You’re fast.” Naruto commented with a smile, “But not fast enough.”

Neji growled. “Am I not? We’ll see.” he leapt back and took his Jūken stance. Naruto surprised him by leaping forwards, pulling his fist back. Neji moved to defend, only for the fist to strike the ground and break it under their feet.

Neji flipped mid-air and Naruto jumped onto a piece of earth to reach the older Genin. Neji expected it and stopped his move, trying to strike him. However, Naruto dodged both strikes and flipped the Hyūga over his shoulder.

He landed in a crouch and he sensed Neji approaching and he slammed his hand on the ground. **“Doton: Tsushi Nami no Jutsu.”** (Earth Release: Earth Wave Technique)

The earth moved under their feet, forcing Neiji to put further distance between them. Naruto stopped for a moment with a smile.

* * *

Meanwhile in the stands, everyone was watching curiously. “He managed to counter Neji’s strikes? How?“ Tenten asked.

Sasuke smiled. “That’s the problem with strict clan style. It’s readable to anyone with common sense. No need for any sort of Dōjutsu. And now, there’s a distance between them. Your teammate is a close-range fighter, like every Hyūga. Otōto on the other hand, prefers long to mid range. It’s over.”

Everyone’s eyes turned back to the fight, curious how Neiji would deal with the situation now.

* * *

Naruto raised his hand in a Tiger. **“Suiton: Tepp** **ōdama!“** (Water Release: Gunshot)

The water shot from his mouth, right at Neji, but the Hyūga was also prepared.

 **“Katon: Ry** **ūka no jutsu!”** (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique) Neji called. The two jutsu collided, canceling each other out, leaving thick steam in their wake. Altough, the steam didn’t hinder either of the combatants, so Naruto shot forwards to close in on the older.

Using another chakra enhanced punch, he ruined even more of the arena floor, forcing Neji to jump upwards. Seeing the Hyūga right where he wanted the other to be, he grinned and moulded his chakra for the next move. **“Fūton: Kiryū Ranbu!”** (Wind Release: Air Current Wild Dance)

The chakra spread to create wild currents of wind, which the blonde used to toss his opponenet to the ground with great force. Even before Neiji had a chance to stand up, Naruto used a Shunshin to get to him in time and pointed a kunai – crackling with small lightning– above the older’s heart.

“I win.” he said with a smile, causing Neji to frown. “Fate predetermines things out of human control – like who our parents are or what Clans are we born into. Or perhaps, if we will wield our clans’ Kekkei Genkai, or not. What we make of what life has given us, is a question of determination, skill and choices. _Choices_ most of all. Even if other state, that you will not achieve something, even then, you can prove them wrong. Even if they limit you, prove them, that _despite_ the limitations, you can forge your own path and gain your own power. But remember to use that power you gain for something _good_.” he murmured quietly, so only Neji would hear.

“Shōsha, Senju-Uzumaki Naruto!” Genma declared to the deathly quiet arena.

* * *

Sasuke smiled, as the blonde finally arrived. “Nice match, Otōto. What did you tell him?“ he asked.

“He was crowing to me about _fate_.“ Naruto murmured sarcastically.

Sasuke snorted in amusement. “Oh, _sweet_ Shinju. Only if he knew what _we_ have to say about fate.”

Naruto laughed softly, moving closer to stand by him. “Indeed, Nī-sama, indeed.”

“Why, what do you have to say about it?“ asked Yamato, blinking in confusion. Both Chūnin candidates rolled their eyes at that.

“No human, no matter how poweful, should live more than once.“ Naruto murmured. “It’s a law of nature. We defied those laws by clinging to our beliefs for so long and so strongly. Reincarnation is _not_ normal. We denied our fate by it – or perhaps we are denying our fate _now_. By remembering and working _not_ to make the same mistakes.”

“So, no matter how impossible it seems, we can take our own fates into our hands.“ Sasuke said.

“Next match, Subakku Kankuro against Aburame Shino!” the proctor announced, breaking the brothers’ train of thought.

Their gazes shifted over to the Suna shinobi, eyes lingering on Gaara for a second, before it settled on the cat-suited bastard, whom they caught bullying Konohamaru. The Suna nin studied Shino for a long moment, before he stepped forward and looked at Genma. “I forheit, proctor.“

The stadium was suddenly loud with disapproving boos and everyone raised an eyebrow at the three Suna siblings. Neither the girl, nor Gaara seemed all too concerned about their brother’s choice. _Odd._

“Winner by forheit, Aburame Shino!”

Then, Genma’s gaze swept the place before he spoke again. “Next match, Subakku no Gaara VS Uchiha Sasuke!”

Naruto hummed and gave his brother a look. “Careful with Shukaku. Gaara will be faster, than most.”

Sasuke hummed, as they bumped fists. “Don’t worry, Otōto, I will come out of there alive and if we’re lucky I might even manage to beat some sense into our crazed tanuki brother.”

Gaara appeared down in the arena, his eerie pale green eyes settling on Sasuke right away. Sasuke matched the redhead’s blood-chilling gaze without a twitch. Slowly a blood-thirsty grin formed on the Suna Jinchūriki’s face and he released a wave of Killing Intent.

“Here I come, Shukaku.“ the Sharingan-user murmured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism are always welcome :3


	24. Ichihbi no Tanuki & Tsuki no Uraishi

Sasuke walked slowly to the arena, continously releasing more of his chakra and Killing Intent to match the Suna Jinchūriki. (He could already hear soft thuds here and there and some people muttering about not withstanding the pressure.) The redhead was eyeing him with a mix of wariness and bloodlust. The proctor looked actually uneasy, as he stepped between them, ready to start the match.

“ _You_...!” Gaara growled.

Sasuke smirked. “Hello, _Ichibi_.” as he said those words, the proctor threw an unsure look at Gaara. Gaara’s eyes narrowed and he walked farther from Genma. As Sasuke turned to do the same, he looked at the Jōnin. “Instable seal. Be ready to flee, Shiranui-san.“ he muttered lowly, before taking a few steps away from the man.

The Jōnin threw him a shocked look, before glacing at Gaara again. “Subakku no Gaara VS Uchiha Sasuke.“ he announced again, “ _Hajime!_ ”

Sasuke sighed and the moment Genma leapt away, he released his chakra, rising his hand to focus chakra. Fighting a Bijū – or Jinchūriki (or both at once maybe? Shukaku seemed as mad, as Gaara) was not something he could take lightly. He had his memories and had trained relentlessly with Naruto since the beggining, but they still had limits. Limits there, where in their previous life they didn’t exist. Better finish this fast.

 **“Ninsh** **ū: Shiroi Hon** **ō.“** (Ninja Creed: White Flames) he murmured. When he felt the shift in his chakra, he fixed his gaze on the Suna shinobi, jutsu at the ready. “ **Shiroi Hon** **ō: Gōenka!”** (White Flames: Great Flame Flower)

Several great, white-flamed fireballs formed above the Suna nin and then, with a wave of the Uciha’s hand, they all dropped down.

* * *

Meanwhile the others watched in shock. “Sasuke-kun’s already using those white fireballs?“ Ino asked.

“He’s strong, that Gaara.“ Neiji said, his Byakugan active. “He has high chakra levels. Sasuke is close, but Gaara has even more.”

“Indeed he is.“ Naruto spoke, drawing the others’ attention to himself for a second. “And Nī-sama is very much aware of how dangerous Gaara is. If he holds back, he would end up as badly hurt, as Lee.”

“W-what a-are th-those flam-es?“ Hinata asked quietly. “The ch-chakra... I... I’ve ne-never s-seen such f-fire before.”

Naruto’s gaze shifted back to the arena, as he watched the fireballs detonate all around the Jinchūriki. “The white fire is his signature technique. Something he’d come up with, to counter me.”

The other Genin looked to him. “To counter _you_?“ Kiba asked.

Naruto chuckled. “Yes. Specifically to counter a group of my jutsu, which I addmit, I’m very fond of.“ 

He still remembered how much of a headache it was, when he realised his brother’s white flames could burn away his chakra-laced wood, where normal fire had failed. It did a slower work, than Amaterasu, but it was no less effective and since Indra hadn’t been so limited to using this new form of Katon, as he was with Amaterasu... their fights had escalated into new sort of destructive.

* * *

Sasuke watched with some satisfaction, as the flames sallowed Shukaku’s sand – and since these flames used chakra to burn, the sand, which had been laced with his tanuki brother’s chakra would burn as well.

Still, as the white faded, allowing him to see the Suna nin, he noticed with some displeasure, that only a part of the sand had been turned into glass. The crazed grin returned to the redhead’s face and he released another wave of Killing Intent.

“MOTHER WANTS YOUR _BLOOD_!” Gaara cackled. Throwing his hands forward, he sent a great wave of sand towards him.

 _‘Oh, fuck both of my lives. I just pissed him off even more.‘_ he thought with a frown, as he pushed chakra into his feet to jump above the sand.

He did a few handseals and released his chakra in a long line of purplish lightning. **“Raiton: Denki Nagare!“** (Lightning Release: Electrical Flow)

He landed several feet away, watching as his lightning ruined the sand. He smiled, his Sharingan blazing. Earth was weak against Lightning and the kid was using more Earth, than Wind. He drew his tantō and channeled his chakra, until the lightning danced restlessly around the metal. **“Raiton:** **Denatsujin.”** (Lightning Release: Voltage Blade)

His advance was unhindered, as the sand was immobilised. Still, Gaara had some left in his container and more sprung forth in deadly whips. He cut trough the ones, that got close, while dodging and dancing around the rest. Trough it all, he was looking for a moment of weakness, just a little lapse...

* * *

“Huh. He’s very graceful for a Genin. Fast and graceful.“ Kurenai commented.

Naruto laughed softly. “He’s always been like that, but don’t tell him that. _Graceful_ is not a word he likes to hear.“

The black-haired Genjutsu mistress looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “And why is that?”

Naruto shrugs. “Gracefulness is for women, he said.”

* * *

Sasuke cursed, as a tendril of sand caught his leg and pulled the ground from under him. He hit the floor and then Gaara pulled him closer and closer. Oh, shit. He’s going to give a piece of his mind to Shukaku for this. As Gaara raised him off the ground with the sand, their eyes met and that mere glance was enough.

 ** _Magen: Mōjūdukai no Jutsu_** (Demonic Illusion: Beast Tamer Techinique)

He felt his chakra spread out and as Gaara moved, his eyes went wide and he cried out in pain. Sasuke smiled. This will keep Gaara from moving too much, so if he pulled him into the seal, no one will notice from such distance.

His chakra flared as his eyes shifted into their higher level. This will take all his chakra, but Asura wasn’t here now – he was on the field, his brother wasn’t allowed to join. So he had to deal with Shukaku, no matter the cost.

 **“Mangeky** **ō Sharingan: Bij** **ū Iatsu.“** (Caleidoscope Copy Wheel Eye: Tailed-Beast Coertion) he muttered.

The chakra whirled and he closed his eyes. The downward spiral was more sickening, than some of Naruto’s chakra laced punches and that was saying something, because his brother had enough medical knowledge, to purposefully make his opponents sick. (Because, surprise, _surprise_ , making people sick was much easier, than actually healing them.)

When Sasuke opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark, cave-like environment, fillled with wet sand and the walls and ceiling full of cracks all around him. Speak about crappy seal.

“What... where are we?” asked Gaara. Sasuke saw how lost and confused he was. Currently, with his chakra present in the redhead’s system, Shukaku had no influence over him.

“Gaara.“ he called calmly, walking closer. The redhead looked up, studying him.

“W-where are we? And what are you doing here, Uchiha?“

Sasuke sighed. “You have one of the nine Bijū sealed within you. Namely, Shukaku, the Ichibi no Tanki. This is his seal’s representation in your mind and no, _for the Shinju’s sake_ , Shukaku is _not_ your mother, so get that straight. He’s male, by the way.” he said, gesturing at the crappy chains, which held the great tanuki.

Gaara looked at the Bijū. “All that time. Alone... and that blood. So, so much blood and the _fear_...”

Sasuke moved forwards swiftly and grabbed the redhead’s shoulder, breaking him away from his dark thoughts. “There are others like you. And you are not alone.”

Gaara looked up at him. “Don’t... don’t you fear me? Or hate me? Like others?”

Sasuke snorted. “I’ve no reason to fear you, nor to hate you. And you’ve no reason to strike fear into others’ hearts. Fear and hate are a vicious cycle. You just need a friend or two to count on. Just a few and you won’t ever have to fear things – if you find others to be your friends on the way? All the better.”

Gaara gave a hesitant nod. “And mo...Shukaku?“ he glanced into the distance, where the tanuki was trashing against his chains.

Sasuke sighed. “Come. We’ll deal with him. Just let me speak first.”

The redhead nodded and they proceeded to wade trough the wet sand, closer and closer to the tanuki. Gaara watched the great creature with wariness, but Sasuke didn’t even twitch.

 ** _“Indra!“_** the tanuki roared angrily, yanking at his restraints, glaring at him, releasing a wave of Killing Intent. Sasuke released some of his chakra to shield Gaara and matched his youngest Bijū brother’s glare without a twitch.

“Shukaku.“ he nodded in greeting.

The chains creeked loudly, as the tanuki moved. **“What are you doing here, _Tsuki no Uraishi_? Are you here to enslave me, as that nameless spawn of yours had done years ago, to Kurama?”**

“Not at all.“ he answered calmly. “I’m here to apologise for what had happened years ago, after I left.“ he said in a quiet tone. “It was a mistake. But now... now both myself and Asura have a new chance and we would like to set the world straight. We’d like to carry on Otō-sama’s legacy. Protect humanity from the one, who had enslaved Kurama, for we believe he would come back. He will come back for the nine of you and to destroy humanity.”

The tanuki growled. **“And why should I care for the humans, when they don’t care for us? The last one who trully cared, had been Asura, but he’s not....“**

“Otōto’s _here_ , watching this match, between me and your Jinchūriki. He’s watching us and waiting, worried he might have to intervene.”

 **“And why should I believe your words?“** the yellow, beastly eyes narrowed.

Sasuke sighed. “I made mistakes, that cannot be taken back. As had Asura. I apologise for those mistakes, Nī-sama.“ he dipped his head, “But tell me, will you hold grudged for lifetimes to come? Or would you accept our offer of peace? Can we be a _family_ once more? Would you help protecting your siblings, or will Asura and I stand alone against the ones, who want Obā-sama free? And might I add, to free her, _your_ chakra is needed. If she were to be freed, the nine of your would cease to exist in this form.”

Shukaku frowned. **“Let’s assume I forgive you for the betrayal...“** he glared down at Gaara, **“but why should I aid _humans_ , who imprisoned me? You made mistakes, but you never spoke of imprisoning me.“**

Sasuke winced inwardly. Once, long ago, he had bluntly told Asura that the Bijū were dangerous and their cooperation could only be achived by imprisonment and direct control. But... Shukaku didn’t need to know _that_ now.

“And once more, I apologise for said mistakes. But revenge is a vicious cycle. The humans imprisoned you and you are angry with them. I understand that.“ he sighed. “I know what anger feels like. But you are harming Gaara. As hard, as it may be for you to belive... you are safe here. With Gaara – inside his seal. If you were free, the man who had caught Kurama, would get his hands on you way too easily.”

The tanuki shifted yanking at his chains again. **“But this _seal_! This is worse than any other I’ve had before! It’s so bad, that even if I wanted to withold my chakra from my host, I couldn’t. And I can’t _sleep_!”**

Sasuke grunted. “I can see that. I’m nowhere proficient, if it comes to Fūinjutsu, but even _I_ could do better.”

**“It’s just a _damn storage_ seal! Modified. The useless little humans think me a _kettle_! They don’t understand we have feelings too!” **

Sasuke sighed and sat down, gesturing for Gaara to do the same. Hesitantly, the redhead did just that. “Shukaku.” he called sharply.

The tanuki froze in his rant and looked down at them. “Please, calm down. I will speak with Asura and he will do something with this seal of yours. If you have to be sealed – and for the time being, for your safety, you must be– then it could at least be comfortable.

The tanuki huffled, curling up. **“I just want some sleep.”**

Sasuke glanced at Gaara. “I will speak with Otōto. In the meanwhile, could you please be kinder to Gaara?“

**“But Indra...!”**

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, his Sharingan taking a sharp turn. “ _Shukaku_.”

The tanuki ducked his head, cowed by the sharp tone, despite Indra being younger, than him. The two humans always had a special place in the Bijūs’ hearts and they listened to them, as they listened to their late father.

 **“Fine. I’ll try to be nice.”** he murmured.

Sasuke smiled and stood up, walking closer. He placed a hand on the tanuki, surprising the beast. Then he smiled and leaned his head down too. “Thank you, Nī-sama. It’s reassuring to know you’re not lost to bitterness.”

The tanuki rumbled a bit. **“And it’s nice to see you back, being as you were... not so cold and _angry_.”**

“It’s nice to be back.” Sasuke addmitted. “I missed you all. Asura the most, but you too.”

Gaara cleared his troath. Sasuke shifted to look at the redhead. The Suna nin looked totally awkward, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else, but there, but there was also curiousty on his face.

“How.... how can you be _brothers_?“ he asked, making a gesture.

Sasuke chuckled. “It’s a long story. One day, Shukaku may share it with you. Let it be enough for now, that once, long time ago, my name was Ōtsutsuki Indra.”

Gaara nodded, studying him. “I see. What now?“

Sasuke shook his head. “Nothing. You will remain asleep, as per the workings of the Genjutsu, once I’m out of here. They will take it as a knockout, so I will win...“ he shrugged.

**“Indra.”**

Sasuke glanced back. “Yes, Shukaku?”

**“Don’t do it. Right now your chakra prevents it from happening, but whenever Gaara falls asleep, my seal ceases to hold me and I’m free. The humans from his village want to destroy _this_ village – but if your’re here... is this your home?”**

Sasuke’s mind whirled with the words. “Yes. It’s where I and Otōto were born. We were raised here – the village is our kin’s legacy. Senju, Uzumaki and Uchiha alike.”

“My father planned an invasion.“ Gaara said softly. “When you wake... the invasion should be underway, even if Genjutsu distorts time. I– Shukaku...”

“You are the trump card. The ultimate weapon.” he said in a dark tone, as it made sense.

 **“Yes.“** Shukaku nodded. **“If he falls asleep and your chakra ceases to hold both of us, I will be free. Asura can’t redo my seal, if I’m free... can he?“**

Sasuke sighed. “No. He can’t. But you can warn Kurama and trough him, Asura.”

The tanuki blinked. **“What?“**

Sasuke huffed. “Kurama is sealed in Asura. His father in _this life_ sealed Kurama into him.”

The tanuki roared in frustration, which caused Gaara to flinch. **“This is SO UNFAIR! Why does the baka kitsune have all the luck to be with ASURA-KUN when no one else...!”**

“Shukaku!“ Sasuke called, releasing a wave of chakra to get the tanuki’s attention. “ _Language_.“ he glared. “And you can still reach out to Kurama. Trough your link, you and Gaara can meet us.”

Shukaku blinked and calmed down, at those words. **“True.“**

Sasuke nodded, satisied with the answer. “Warn Otōto and Kurama, please.“ he commanded, before turning to Gaara.

“The invasion... I didn’t want... father...“ the redhead choked out, a flash of fear appearing in his eyes.

Sasuke shook his head. “We’ll deal with it. Konoha is strong. But you won’t be part of it. Once my chakra fades, my brother’s will take hold of you. It will prevent you from transforming or utilising chakra in any shape or form.”

Gaara nodded. “Alright. He... he wants to kill the Hokage, to cripple your village from the inside.”

Sasuke nodded. “Noted.“ he gave the redhead a look and then placed a hand on his shoulder. “The Bijū are our siblings and so are their Jinchūriki. You have people here. We can help, if you need it – people, who understand. Who don’t fear the power you have, because we have something similar.”

Gaara offered a hand to be taken. Sasuke took it and shook hands with the redhead. “Thank you...brother.”

Sasuke’s lips twitched into a half-smirk. “You’re welcome, Otōto.“ Gaara raised an eybrow and Sasuke’s smirk widened further. “Shukaku may be older, than I am, but you _are_ younger.”

The last thing Sasuke saw, was a smile on the redhead’s face, before his jutsu slipped.

* * *

Once Sasuke woke, Gaara’s body went limp and he felt Shukaku’s chakra spike and the red energy formed around the Genin.

At the same time, feathers started falling from the sky and he saw as several people started falling asleep. There was an explosion from the Kage booth and something crumbling in the distance, almost sounding like thunder.

Sasuke leapt backwards, away from the redhead, his eyes seeking Naruto.

The Invasion Gaara and Shukaku spoke of had began...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments, once done reading. Comments are my life force :)


	25. Konoha Crush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best, but I tried...

“What is Sasuke doing?“ murmured Kakashi from the stands, as they watched the Uchiha allow himself to be caught by the sand.

“He needs eye contact to get into Gaara’s seal.“ Naruto said, his tone equally quiet. “Shukaku is still our brother. He would try to speak with him first – to him and Gaara– before using force. We don’t harm family. Not when there is a peaceful alternative.”

He knew Sasuke would have harder time convincing Shukaku, due to the betrayal during their previous life (strangely enough, it was Shukaku, who had taken Indra’s betrayal the worst, from all the Nine). But Naruto had faith. His brother could be convincing, if he tried and maybe dealing with this unhinged Shukaku... some of Indra’s forcefulness wouldn’t hurt either.

“And after all _that_...“ Yamato made a gesture at the half-charred arena, “he _still_ has enough chakra to deal with a Bijū?”

Naruto shook his head. “Indra’s reserves had matched mine in our prime. But my chakra had always been _denser_... so with proper control, it always seemed like I had more. Plus, my stamina was also greater. He preferred quick, strategically destructive clashes. I preferred to drag out mine, to tire my opponent.“

Kakashi quirked his visible eyebrow. “So? Does he have enough chakra or not?“

Naruto sighed. “No. Once the Genjutsu is over, he will be low on chakra, so he won’t be able to fight. But the Genjutsu will still have some power, which should hold Shukaku and Gaara, so he will win with a knockout, I suppose.”

 **“Asura-kun.”** Kurama called.

_“Yes, Nī-sama?“_

**“I just spoke with Shukaku. Indra managed to bring him and his host to our side, so to say. Suna is planning an invasion and they plan on using Shukaku to crush this place and kill the Hokage. Gaara and Shukaku want no part in it, now that they know the truth and we’d actually made up. The moment Gaara falls asleep Shukaku is free because of the crappy seal. When Indra’s Genjutsu is over, be ready to hold Shukaku. Oh and the invasion. It might be messy. Share your chakra with Indra – he’ll be down. I’ll help you, if needed.”**

Naruto nodded, turning to his senseis. “Kashi-sensei, Yamato-sensei... we have a little– no _scratch that_ , a **_big_** problem.”

The two Jōnin looked at him. “And what that would be?” asked Yamato.

Naruto inched closer to the two, lowering his voice even more, than before. “The Bijū have a special way of communication, even if sealed. Shukaku just warned us, that Suna planned an Invasion. It may start any moment. They want to crush the village politically and economically, too.”

The two looked at each other. “Oh, _shit_.”

Naruto nodded. “Be ready. Any moment now. We’ll deal with Shukaku. Help where it’s needed.”

The two older shinobi nodded, their eyes steeling over, now fully alert. Naruto walked back to the railing, his eyes narrowed on Sasuke and Gaara, waiting for even the smallest twitch, that would indicate the end of the Genjutsu.

Then, he noticed white feathers fluttering from the sky... and a wave of Kurama’s chakra passed the surrounding area, dispelling the illusion. At the same time something rumbled in the distance – like the walls had been taken down – and a big explosion rocked the Kage booth. He hoped the Sandaime was fine... (He may not be overly close with the man, but he had been kind, even when he had been younger and while the secrets of his family had stung, he understood the need for them.)

Then, Sasuke was back and he leapt away from Gaara, as red chakra rapidly shrudded his fellow Jinchūriki. Naruto was already moving, leaping over the rail, as Sasuke’s eyes found him. Halfway there he was already done with the handseals, to contain Shukaku.

 **“Mokuton: Kemono no Jinja!“** (Wood Release: Shrine of the Beast) He stopped, slamming his palm on the ground.

A circular platform rose below Gaara, taking the redhead off the ground and then six wooden pillars rose around it, craved with various Kanji. He was on his feet in a second, landing next to Sasuke with a _Shunshin_. Even before more than a clawed arm of Shukaku’s was visible, chakra chains shot from his back, wrapping around Gaara, stopping the transformation. He flared his chakra and detached the chains from his back, holding the other end, before tossing them into the air. The chains wrapped around the pillars, stopping Gaara from moving and as the Mokuton chakra mixed with the heavy adamantine chakra, Shukaku was forced back into the seal.

Gaara cried out in pain and Naruto winced, but as his chakra took hold, the redhead looked up. His face was tight with pain, but his eyes were determined – determined to withstand the pain and stop the destruction.

When the chakra calmed down, Naruto skipped over to the redhead. “Gaara?“

The Suna nin grunted. “I’m fi-fine.“

Naruto sighed. “Gomen. I should have warned, that it may be painful. Name’s Senju-Uzumaki Naruto. Shukau knows me as Asura. I’m his youngest brother and also the Jinchūriki of Kyūbi no Kurama.”

Gaara gave a strained smile. “Nice to meet you.”

Naruto smiled. “Same here. You’ll remain bound here for now. No one will be able to break these and for now, your chakra control is as good as a newborn’s, due to my restraints. Once this mess is over, we’ll fix your seal, okay?”

“Yes. A-arigato.”

He stepped back and grabbed Sasuke. “You need some backup?“ he raised his hand in a half Ram. **“Ninshū: Chakura Kyōyō: Hojū.”** (Ninja Creed: Chakra Sharing: Replenishment) he felt his chakra getting transferred to Sasuke and in turn, Kurama’s chakra filled his body, also sneaking its way into Sasuke’s system. Their oldest brother’s chakra also helped heal any injuries they may have had – well, for Sasuke. Naruto was already healed.

There was a spike of powerful chakra, forcing them to break the connection and Naruto’s breath hitched, as he looked towards the Kage booth. “Nī-sama, did you...?”

“Yes, let’s go!”

They sprang from their spot, chakra crackling under their skin, as they leapt into the ruined Kage booth. They skidded to a sudden halt, when they found a barrier seperating them from the Hokage – and in the robes of the Kazekage, they saw a familiarly sinister face.

_Orochimaru of the Sannin._

“This is _his_ work. Fuck it.” Naruto growled.

“Well, he did say _the leaves will burn_... so he was saying the truth. Criptically, but he did give a warning.“ Sasuke murmured. His Sharingan was spinning wildly, studying the barrier.

“We’ve to knock out the four, who keep it up.”

Naruto nodded, raising his hand in a Snake seal. **“Moku Bunshin no Jutsu.”** (Wood Clone Technique)

Four wood clones grew out from the ground. Naruto made a gesture, wordlessly giving his order to the clones. He watched, as his clones engaged the four shinobi, which forced them to pay more attention to the fights, rather than the barrier...

“Otōto. _Look_.” Sasuke called.

Naruto’s eyes shifted back to the Hokage. There, behind Orochimaru three coffins rose out of the ground. Three coffins with a number each.

Ichi. Ni. Yon.

The lids moved and three dead people stepped out from the coffins. People, both of the boys recognised, for their gazes forever watched the village. People, who were Naruto’s family.

_Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama and Senju-Namikaze Minato._

**_“Bastard.”_** Naruto growled, his anger flaring along with Kurama’s chakra.

With the four, who were tasked with keeping the barrier up, occupied it wasn’t so hard for Naruto to break it. Letting some of Kurama’s chakra out was all they needed to break the barrier. The brothers shared a look and both of them went trough a set of seals.

 **“Katon: Hōsenka!“** (Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower) Sasuke spit out several fireballs and Naruto soon followed with his own backup.

 **“Fūton: Renkūdan!”** (Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet)

As the high-pressured wind reached the already powerful fireballs, it further increased their potency, colouring the usually orange fire whiteish, as they sped towards the Hokages. The three resurrected men dodged without too much problem, but it put extra distance between them and the Sandaime.

The many eyes fell on the boys, as they arrived next to the Sandame. “Naruto, Sasuke... you shouldn’t...” the Sandaime called in shock.

The boys glared at Orochimaru , before their eyes settled on the three Hokage. “Not a chance of us leaving.“ Naruto said sharply. “The snake-faced bastard made this personal, when he had the balls to summon _my family_ to fight against Konoha.”

“Deal with the fucker, Sandaime-sama.“ Sasuke said. “We’ll deal with the Senjus.”

“That...”

 **“NOW!”** Naruto growled, letting some of Kurama’s chakra out again. As he did so, his violet eyes turned to slits, altough they kept their natural colour. His whiskers also turned more promient.

“Is that the Kyūbi...?“ asked the Nidaime, his dark red eyes narrowing.

“Naruto.“ the older blonde’s blue eyes flickered to Sasuke, too. “Sasuke? Uchiha Sasuke?”

Naruto nodded towards the older blonde. “Otō-san. Nice to meet you.”

Sasuke’s lips curled into a half-smirk, his Sharingan spinning, as he nodded. “Minato-sama.”

Minato winced. “ _Naa_ , too much formality. Drop that. My wife was your godmother, which makes you _my_ family too.”

Sasuke shrugged. “Old habits die hard.“ he said, taking his fighting stance. Naruto mirrored him. All three of the reanimated Kage raised an eyebrow at the same stance. (And at a stance, that they did not recognise.)

Naruto looked at the Nidaime. “And yes, to answer your earlier question, Nidaime-sama, the fox. After your sister-in-law, it was my mother. And now, me.”

“Naruto about that...”

“Nah, think nothing of it, Otō-san. He’s not that bad.” he said with a shrug and a grin.

“What’s all that chat over there?!“ Orochimaru called in annoyance, still preoccupied with fighting the Sandaime. “ _Attack!_ ”

The three Senju moved at once, as if dragged on strings. “Naruto, he’s controlling us!” Minato said in panic.

The boys jumped, to avoid the first attack and the three Hokage turned to face them again.

Sasuke glanced at Naruto. “Otōto, take Shodaime-sama. I’ll deal with your father and Nidaime-sama.”

“Okay.“ the blonde grinned and both of them leapt at the men.

* * *

Naruto pressed his lips together, as he deflected the Shodaime’s strike. The brown-haired Senju was studying him immensely.

“Who are you, young one? That chakra...”

Naruto ducked under the high kick and aimed a punch to the man’s face, only for Hashirama to catch it. “Name’s Senju-Uzumaki Naruto. My father’s Namikaze Minato, born Senju Minato, ex-Yondaime Hokage and unsuspecting grandson of your brother’s. My mother was Uzumaki Kushina, second Jinchūriki of the Fox and great-niece of Uzumaki Mito.”

Hashirama blinked in shock. “Tobi had a _child_? And then a grandson? Huh, I would have never thought...”

Naruto grinned. “Yeah. I surprised Sandaime-sama, too.”

“Why?“ Hashirama asked, quirking an eyebrow.

The blonde smirked, as his chakra flared and he formed a Snake seal. **“Mokuton: Ne no Yokusei!”** (Wood Release: Root Restraints) several thick roots broke from the ground, grabbing for the Shodaime.

The founder’s brown eyes went wide for a second, but he reacted fast. **“Mokuton: Sashi Toge!”** (Wood Release: Piercing Thorns)

The thorns pierced the blonde’s roots, stopping their advance. Frowning slightly, Naruto decided to change tactics and attak from the air, using the wood they’d grown, as a starting point. Running up a pair of roots and thorns, he leapt at the older shinobi, but Hashirama was expecting it and prepared a chakra enhanced punch. Naruto grabbed the offending right fist and tried sweeping the floor from under Hashirama. Hashirama jumped and kicked him back, which caused the blonde to curse. He just barely stopped himself from falling, when the Kage was already in front of him, preparing another attack.

As Naruto saw the water jutsu speed towards him, he cursed mentally. **_‘Uzumaki Hiden: Kong_** ** _ō F_** ** _ūsa.‘_** (Uzumaki Secret Tradition: Adamantine Sealing Chains) he thought. Several golden chains appeared, forming a cocoon around his body. When the pressure was gone, he unbound the coccoon and did a few seals.

 **“Suiton: Suiry** **ū!”** (Water Release: Water Dragon) a massive yellow-eyed dragon from Hashirama’s leftover water and sped towards the oldest Senju.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sasuke was dealing with the two Hirashin-users of the family. Luckily for him, neither had chosen to use the jutsu and he was careful to keep the two at a certain distance. Applying the _shikki_ somewhere, needed physical contact, so Taijutsu was out of question. Kami knew both were skilled enough to mark him during a short bout of Taijutsu. And if they marked him, he was as good as dead, Ōtsutsuki incarnate or not.

 **“Suiton: Suiry** **ū!”** (Water Release: Water Dragon) the Nidaime called, unintentionally mirroring Naruto.

 **“F** **ūton: Daitoppa!”** ( Wind Release: Great Breaktrough)

Sasuke cursed as the Yondaime’s wind enhanced the vicious dragon. Senju Tobirama was a lethal force on his own, if it came to handling his element. The Yondaime adding more force to those attacks didn’t help one bit.

He flared his chakra and formed a Horse. **“Ninsh** **ū: Shiroi Hon** **ō: G** **ōka Mekkyaku!”** (Ninja Creed: White Flames: Great Fire Annihilation)

His fire clashed with the water dragon causing a great explosion of chakra and wind, leaving traces of mist all around them. His Sharingan spun wildly, as he sought the two. **“Shiroi** **Hon** **ō: Hon** **ō no Hebi!”** (White Flames: Flame Serpent)

The flames curled around his body before they shot forwards with a great hiss, resembling a snake’s. The two Senju just barely dodged. “Impressive flames, Sasuke-kun.” the Yondaime praised. “Never seen anything like it before.”

Sasuke hummed. “Personal invention.” he answered, as both Kage closed in on him, no doubt, to mark him.

Sasuke cursed and covered his skin in a thin layer of chakra like his brother had shown him. Neither used chakra-enhanced strenght, like his brother or the Shodai, but they were fast and precise. His Sharingan could follow their moves, but he had no guarantee, that his body will be able to keep up.

Better safe, than sorry.

As the two teamed up on him, he cursed again, dodging most of their strikes and deflecting the ones he could. _‘By the kami... hurry up, Naruto! I won’t be able to keep this up forever.‘_

* * *

Naruto spit out some blood. Hashirama was a heavy hitter for sure. This last strike had broken two bones and he was lucky the bones hadn’t punctured his lung. Kurama was alreday working on healing it and he added some of his own chakra into the mix.

“You’re impressive for someone so young. Your style is unfamiliar, but I can see the pattern of both mine and the Uzumaki style in it.” the Hokage commented, as he darted closer.

Naruto looked up, wiping his chin. His right hand was already burning with chakra for the next move. He would just need the Hokage to get closer. “Ah, arigato. It’s my personal style.”

Naruto’s senses tingled, as he felt the other mould his chakra. Roots broke from the ground, trying to catch him and he cursed himself for giving Hashirama ideas. He formed a Wood Clone behind the older, which threw thorns at the Senju, as if they were senbon. Hashirama, predictably, sensed the attack and moved to the side...

...and with a Bijū chakra enhanced Shunshin, he landed next to the Kage. He grabbed the older and even formed a chain from his hand to sneak it upwards the older’s armour. Hashirama leapt back, trying to break free, which caused Naruto to stumble because of the sudden movement.

However, the kami smiled down on him, as he still managed to slam his palm on the man’s armoured abdomen. **“Keiyaku Fūin.”** (Contract Seal) the circular pattern spread from his palm onto the red armour and glowed blue for a second.

Hashirama froze and then looked down at him. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. “So... are you free, Shodaime-sama?“

The Shodai nodded. “So it seems. Ipressive skills, Naruto-kun. Let’s go and help your Uchiha friend. Tobirama’s masterful in countering most Uchiha moves...”

Naruto chuckled as he retracked his chain. “And Nī-sama’s smart enough to find a way around most tricks.“ he said, as they sought the other three combatants. Hashirama raised an eyebrow at him and Naruto shrugged. “Explain later.”

Naruto and a Shadow Clone he’d created, were already preparing two other seals to free the other resurrected individuals from the snake’s control, when Sasuke cried out. “Shinju fucking damn it, Otōto! Hurry up you _clumsy_...!” his curses were cut short, as he was forced to dodge another wave of water.

“I’ll hold Tobi. Get close.“ the Shodaime instructed. Naruto nodded.

The moment wood sprang from the ground all around the Suiton master, Naruto charged. Tobirama dodged several of the roots, but while he was occupied, Naruto could get close...

 **“Suiton: Suidanha!”** (Water Release: Water Severing Wave) the Nidaime called. The water cut trough the wood, like hot knife trough butter and it continoued towards him. Naruto did a quick Replacement, switching places with a piece of wood and then he was right in front of the silver-haired man

 **“Keiyaku Fūin.”** he murmured, as he slammed his hand on the man’s shoulder. Tobirama grabbed him forcefully, to shove him off and then he stopped in the movement. Naruto looked up, hard violet meeting sharp red. “Nidaime-sama?”

The Nidai nodded and released him. “Arigato.”

Naruto grinned. “Let’s catch Otō-san. Sasuke is nowhere near good enough with seals, to use them in combat.”

* * *

However, while in a tight spot, Sasuke had his own tricks. He didn’t dabble in Fūinjutsu, but his Sharingan was perfect for controlling things – or in this case, to overpower an already existing control. Now that he could get closer without the water bisecting him, he had better chances.

Yet, the Yondaime was no fool and wisely avoided eye-contact.

Still, as he caught a jab, he added some chakra to his grip and forced the blonde’s hand backwards in an awkward angle and Minato glared at him...

 ** _Genjutsu: Kamigami no Ishi_** (Illusionary Technique: Will of the Gods)

For a moment, he saw his Sharingan reflected in the blue gaze and he saw the chakra strings getting destroyed, which meshed him, before it was gone. _‘You’re free now. Act as you would have done in life, in the defence of those you care about.‘_ Sasuke thought.

As they landed awkwardly, Minato shifted trough the fall, so Sasuke landed with the least possible damage.

“Nī-sama! Otō-san!”

Sasuke huffed as he stood, pulling the Yondaime with him. Minato smiled at him. “Arigato, Sasuke.”

His lips twitched upwards. “Think nothing of it.” his eyes shifted to the three approaching Senju. “We’re fine, Otōto.”

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the Rikudō. So, helping the Sandaime?”

Sasuke smirked. “I wondered when you’ll ask.“

As they turned, all of them froze in shock. For behind the Sandaime appeared the ethereal form of the Shinigami and as the god reached trough the man’s body, a familiar whirl-like seal formed. _“No!”_ the four onlookers called, but it was already too late.

The technique was cast, they could not interfere.

The Shinigami moved swiftly and cut off the Snake Sannin’s arms, which caused the man to cry out in rage and shock. The Sandaime staggered back and fell, his body literally smoking with the energy of the Shinigami.

 _“You fucker!”_ Naruto roared, chakra bursting from his body in a destructive wave, shocking all, but Sasuke. “First you have the balls to mark my brother and then you kill the Hokage!”

Sasuke saw red, too. They were never overly close to the Hokage, but the man had been supportive enough of both of them, in their childhood, trough his own detached way. Besides, the Sandaime had been Orochimaru’s teacher – the bond of teacher and student was sacred. Or at least, _should_ have been.

Not to mention the bastard thought he could get away with marking him – Ōtsutsuki Indra! – with some unholy seal, just to steal his eyes.

His and his brother’s hands moved at once.

 **“Ninsh** **ū: Shiroi Hon** **ō: Jigoku Nami!”** (Shinobi Creed: White Flames: Hell(fire) Wave)

 **“Ninsh** **ū: Fūton: Tengu no Hane!”** (Shinobi Creed: Wind Release: Wings of the Tengu) Naruto announced at the same time.

Fire and wind mixed into a torrent of white, blue and green, speeding towards the Sannin. It caught him and he roared in pain. Sasuke couldn’t help but feel triumphant. There.

That was their revenge for the Sandaime. The next one will be for what the snake summoner dared to attempt with him.

They saw the body in a charred and melted pile.... only for it to move and crack. Orochimaru shed his skin like the snake he was and most of the damage caued by their joint jutsu was gone. Not completely, and his arms were still missing, but he was alive.

A feat no one could have claimed in the past, hit by those moves seperately, much less when _combined_...

The snake glared at them, releasing his Killing Intent and had they been lesser people, Sasuke was sure they would have gotten a heart attack. “You’ll pay for that.” he hissed.

Sasuke jumped forward, drawing his tantō to behead the bastard, but despite his injured state, the man was faster. He avoided the strike and kicked him away, before sinking into the ground, effectively escaping.

Sasuke flipped in the air and landed awkwardly, skidding backwards. He cursed, sure that the kick had at least bruised his ribs. As he stood, he felt a jolt of pain trough his ankle, too.

“How the hell had he survived that?!” Naruto cried outraged. “Those techniques are lethal on their own, much less _together_!”

“It’s that skin-shedding technique.“ the Yondaime spoke and both of them looked at the man. “Orochimaru’s always been fixated on obtaining immortality. He did human experiments, hence why he’s a Missing-nin now. He hadn’t obtained immortality, thank the kami, but that jutsu of his does negate most damage done to his body. He takes other people’s bodies to slow his aging and to obtain others’ Kekkei Genkai or their Hiden.”

“Oh, so the sick fucker thinks he’s above the humans and can cross the laws of kami, _ne_?” Naruto hissed, his eyes flashing blood red for a second, which caused the three resurrected Hokage to tense.

“Relax Otōto.“ Sasuke said, as he straightened up with a wince. “We have an Invasion to deal with and a Bijū to seal properly.”

“Invasion?“ Tobirama and Minato asked at once.

“Bijū?“ echoed Hashirama, all their gazed wary and worried.

Naruto sighed. “Explain later. We have a village to save.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments. Thank you for reading :)
> 
> Throwing up a vote based on a comment. Who wants Minato alive? (May or may not happen, despite votes)


	26. The Ōtsutsuki Brothers (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto POV:  
> Sasuke hummed. “I bet you all heard about the Rikudō Sennin and how he brought peace and shared chakra with the world.“ when the three nodded, Sasuke continoued. “I assume you are also aware of stories, that state that the Senju, Uzumaki and Uchiha are all the Sennin’s descendants.”  
> “Yes.” his great-grandfather said, quirking an eyebrow at Sasuke. “But what does that have to do with anything?”
> 
> It has to do everything, with EVERYTHING...

Minato couldn’t help but stare at the two boys — one of them his son. (The other, the other his wife’s godson, a boy whom he was sure he would have cared for, as he did for Naruto, were he alive. Fugaku and Mikoto had always been close to them and Itachi was like an angel, as a child. Smart and well-mannered, whose love for the family could not be questioned, despite his young age.) They’d just done the impossible. Impossible for Genin, that is.

Himself and his predecessors had been freed from the control of Orochimaru, who’d resurrected them. The boys had freed them. And they had wounded Orochimaru — true, the Sannin was missing his arms, courtesy of the Sandaime and the Shinigami... but still.

They were tired and wounded — because he refused to believe, that Naruto was in top shape, Uzumaki Jinchūriki or not, – but they were still speaking about going on.

Minato gave Sasuke a pointed look. “You surely have a few broken bones. My hits are not chakra-enhanced, but it’s not always needed to break bones. And Orochimaru too. And I refuse to believe Naruto is unscratched, Jinchūriki status and Uzumaki vitality be damned.” he then glared sternly at his son. “You’re _not_ fighting.”

Naruto chuckled, as he grabbed Sasuke’s hand and his chakra flared. “You’re a few years late to ordering us about, Otō-san.”

Minato winced. For him, the family was about care and love and compassion. The cold formality was for the Hyūgas and occasionally, the Uchihas. Did Naruto hold a grudge for that night, despite his words? Was that why he was being formal? Alright, there was no bite in his tone, but still...

His son’s chakra flared, creating a visible shroud around his body — holy...! Naruto was half-Uzumaki, and he had the Fox, but this... this was abnormal. Kushina’s chakra had been powerful too, but not _this_ powerful.

It felt powerful. Full of life. Old... no, not old. It felt _ancient._

Next to him, his fellow Hokage also gasped, so he was sure they felt the same thing, as him. Then, the blue of his son’s chakra was tinted with green — with the bright, fresh green of grass and the deep, sheltering shades of forests. The chakra spread to Sasuke too and the Uchiha visibly relaxed, inching closer to Naruto. Naruto’s next words –soft, like whips of spring wind– would have stopped his heart, if it were still beating.

 **“Mokuton: Shizen no Hōyō: Fukugō Iyashi.”** (Wood Release: Nature’s Embrace: Combined Healing)

He could feel as Naruto drew in Nature Energy, as his chakra blazed. He almost barked at his son, that Nature Chakra turns one to stone if the body is unused to handling it, but the sudden, unexpected touch stopped him. It was the Shodai.

“Mokuton grants the user some balance with nature. Even if he hasn’t learned any form of Senjutsu, he can handle the minimal amount of Nature Energy, trough utilizing Mokuton. And to me, it seems your son is very much aware of that fact.”

Minato breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods.” his eyes landed on the boys again, just as the process was done. Sasuke seemed to be in a bit better shape, although he was still battered. ( _How the hell did Naruto manifest Mokuton?!_ Kushina was a pure-blood Uzumaki!) Shit... had he been experimented on, too?)

“You’re a genius, Otōto,” Sasuke muttered, throwing a grateful look at Naruto.

Naruto scratched his cheek in a manner, that reminded Minato of himself. “Eh, nope, Nī-sama. That was _you_ –you were called that, not me. I was the clumsy prankster remember? Who’s always been made fun of — like with Kaji and...”

Sasuke’s Sharingan took a sharp turn, as he frowned. “And I was clear to him, what I thought about people, who talk down on my family.”

Minato blinked. Since when were the boys so close, calling each other ‘brother?‘ — not that he minded it. It was nice to know Naruto had someone so close to him. (Someone to see as a family when himself and Kushina were not here.) But why the heck was he so formal? Hell, he was formal with him –which Minato promised himself he’ll deal with before he had to leave this world, – but with Sasuke... even more so.

And the Uchiha shrugged it off as if it was _normal_... as if it had always been how Naruto addressed him. Kind of odd.

* * *

Naruto groaned. All this chakra-usage was pushing his limits. He could feel his insides aching. And they still had to deal with the invading forces. (He was _so going to sleep for a week_ after this!)

_“What the **hell**?!”_

The sudden exclamination of the Shodaime – who, by the way was his... his great-uncle or what? – forced his attention away from planning for the worst case scenario. Naruto staggered from the shock he was feeling from the Shodai.

“Why is there a redhead bound with Mokuton and Uzumaki chains?“ Tobirama asked.

“Oh, yeah. We need to fix his seal.“ Narto said with a sheepish chuckle. “He holds Ichibi no Shukaku, but Suna are shitty with Fūinjutsu. The thing barely holds. Can you please help? Sasuke’s hopeless, if it comes to complex seals and I can’t supress Shukaku _and_ simulateously work on the seal, into which he should be transported.”

The three Hokage shared a look and then they nodded. “Let’s go.” his father said. “And once this mess is over, son, mind sharing how _the hell_ you have Mokuton?”

Naruto chuckled. “Of course. Of course, I will tell.”

When they arrived, Gaara looked up. “Naruto?“

Naruto smiled sheepishly and grabbed the redhead. “Sorry for leaving you hanging here. Literally. But now we can fix your seal and both you and Shukaku can sleep as well as a child, tonight. How does that sound?”

Gaara’s green eyes went wide. “I... I’ll be able to sleep?”

Naruto hummed. “Yeah.“ he gestured at the three Hokage behind him. “I’m sure you recognise the three people behind me, don’t you?”

Gaara looked up and his eyes went even wider. “H-how?”

Naruto hummed. “A Kinjutsu, which if you ask me, _shouldn’t even exist._ “ he glared pointedly at the Nidaime – the silver-haired Senju may have been Hokage in his life, but Naruto had been something else, something, _someone_ equally as respected and much more dangerous. “Now, I will release your bonds. Shodiame-sama will be helping me and we’ll hold Shukaku. In the meanwhile...“ he gestured at the two Hirashin users of his family, “They will cook up a seal to use. Both of them masters of their Art. Otō-san sealed the furball, so no need to worry. Once the seal is done, we’ll release you. Then, we’ll see what can we do about the mess in the village and maybe you may even get home.”

Gaara nodded. “Okay.”

Naruto looked at the Shodaime. “The moment I break the chains, the hold of my Mokuton will break too, so...”

The man nodded. “Do it, Naruto-kun.”

Without wasting more time, the blonde grabbed one of the chains wrapped around Gaara, attached to a pole and sent a wave of his chakra into it. The chains shattered into countless tiny parts before disappearing.

Then, as he helped Gaara lay down, the Shodai’s chakra wrapped around the shrine he made, pressing down on everything. Inside the seal, he could feel Shukaku trashing somewhat, trying to resist, but to no avail.

The Shodaime looked up. “Done. Best fix the seal now.”

Gaara’s eyes flashed with fear and uncertanity, as his father and great-grandfather approached. Naruto shifted to give the two Seal Masters more space to work. He took off his utility belt, revealing the sealing equipment the men would need.

Both looked at him with a bit of surprise, before they grabbed at the suplies discussing seals in a quiet tone, to disturb the Shodai, the least possible, while he dealt with the upset Shukaku.

“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Gaara murmured.

Naruto shook his head. “Nonsense. Indra promised we’ll fix the seal, did he not?“ he asked in a quiet tone.

Gaara hummed. “He did.”

“Good. Ōtsutsuki never go back on their word. We’ll fix it up and then, when things get better, you can go about with your life and prove the people around you, that they have nothing to fear from you. It’s not going to be easy –far from it,– but we’ll do our best to help.” he grabbed hold of Gaara and wrapped a little chakra around the redhead, to calm him down, careful not to disturb either of his working family members.

* * *

Kakashi kicked another Sound shinobi in the face, sticking the bastard to the nearest building’s wall with enough force for the hard material to crack and leave a human-shaped indent. They were winning, which was a good thing. It seemed the Sound-Sand forces were slowly retreating. Yet, it brought him no joy. He had not seen the boys ever since Naruto had given the warning (he hadn’t seen Yamato either) and that made him uneasy.

They may have been the reincarnated grandsons of _a freaking chakra goddess_ , but Kakashi didn’t care. They were _his_ students, _his_ pseudo-little brothers (Team 13 was the oddest family of misfits) and he was _worried_.

They were not where he could see and thus make sure they were safe and happy.

And these freaking invaders, who ruined his perfectly sunny day, were keeping him from finding the boys. But no longer. Time to knock things up a notch – and so, he pushed up his headband, revealing Obito’s last gift before his death. The Sharingan.

* * *

Kankuro cursed colourfully, as he stumbled and fell... stupid Konoha and its trees...!

“Kankuro!” Temari cried. His sister stopped and leapt after him, but he fell. He grunted, as he crashed hard against the forest floor and cursed the entire freaking Finals. Nothing had gone the way he’d wanted and not after their plan had been put into motion.

Shukaku was nowhere to be seen and they’d fought Konoha shinobi, before they were forced to flee. Gaara was nowhere to be found... “I’m fine, Temari.” he said with a huff, standing up.

Temari gave him a part scratching, part worried look, but before she could speak, they heard the rustle of leaves. Someone was here. They froze and slowly turned around to face whoever had chased after them.

It was the Senju-Uzumaki spawn.

 _Shit_.

Even from here, Kankuro could feel the blonde’s power. The chakra felt something akin to Gaara’s... the haunting violet eyes – Kankuro was sure, that _that_ colour can’t be natural– narrowed on them.

“Are you Kankuro and Temari Subakku?“ he asked in a cold, warning tone. Something about the Senju’s voice made Kankuro very, very uncomfortable.

“Y-yes.” Temari answered, trying to cover her wavering tone with a scorching glare.

“Come with me. If you resist, you shall never see your brother again.”

Kankuro swallowed hard and shared an unsure look with his sister. They were in deep, _deep_ shit.

* * *

Hours. It had taken hours to get rid of every last lingering enemy shinobi, however their presence, Minato decided, was like a double-edged blade.

Seeing him and the Senju brothers side by side had boosted Konoha morale and had also greatly disheartened the enemy. (But then again, both the Nidaime and himself were S-rank, flee on sight shinobi. The Shodaime himself was a completely different level and Minato admitted, that when the founder had released his chakra he had needed a moment to get his bearings. The chakra was hauntingly similar to Naruto’s, yet Naruto’s felt... Not as powerful, probably because he was still growing and maturing, but _older._ With a sort of _undertone_ , which Minato could not identify.)

And now, with every last ones of their enemy gone, the Council had gathered and he stood in the middle of the room, along with his fellow Hokage and the people were staring at them, as if they were ghosts. Yes, they _were_ technically dead, but not ghosts, so he absolutely could not understand the reactions.

And the fact, that he’d dumped on the council, that the Sandaime was dead, didn’t help much either.

“And what of Suna’s Jinchūriki?“ asked Koharu, her tone hard and suspicious.

“No need to be so cutting, Koharu.“ the Nidaime warned, his tone scolding. “Young Naruto and my brother have contained the Ichibi, while myself and Namikaze-san had fixed the poor boy’s seal.”

“Naruto... _containing_ a Bijū?“

Minato turned at that voice. It was one he was familliar with. As a child, he had been on the same team as Hizashi, but he was also relatively close to the Hyūga Head.

“Yes. Naruto is in posession of the Mokuton, which he’d demonstrated, while helping Sarutobi-sama. Him and Sasuke had joined, to stall us, while Sabutobi-sama dealt with Orichimaru. It was Naruto’s quick thinking –and some of his Fūinjutsu,– which allowed the three of us to join Konoha’s side.”

The Council room was deathly quiet.

“And where is Suna’s Jinchūriki now?“ asked Homura.

“Gaara is currently with Otōto, trying to deal with the stress of a nearly broken seal and a re-sealing.“ a new, younger voice called.

Several eyes turned towards the door, where a tired and battered Uchiha Sasuke stood. Still, despite the state he was in –and no doubt, despite the injuries he’d sustained– his almost-son (could he call Sasuke that?) was strangely regal.

He had not a drop of Fugaku’s distant coldness and every bit of Mikoto’s deadly gracefulness. Regality and power shrudded him, a kind which Minato had never encountered before.

“Genin have no place in the Council.” Tsume pointed out sharply. Sasuke matched her gaze without a twitch.

“Try matching me in _speed_ , Tsume.“ Mianto challenged (he noticed how the Uchiha seat was empty – where was Fugaku? Or Mikoto?). The Inuzaka Matriarch looked at him in surprise. “Because Sasuke here, did just that. Stalled me and Nidaime-sama, while Naruto was fighting Shodaime-sama. I think that gives him some leeway about age, or current lack of promotion.”

The people present looked at Sauske with wide eyes and he heard some whispers of _prodigy_ from the civilan side.

Sasuke scowled. “And you almost blinded me once and had it not been for Naruto and Shodaime-sama interfering, I’m sure I would have lost my head to that freaking Suiton jutsu. And you two totally broke at least _four_ bones, which is goddam painful by the way and I _really_ should be with Naruto, so he could fix me up, but...” he sighed, “Gaara’s seal needs some checking and Otōto’s totally spent too. I’m sure that it’s just Bijū chakra and stubbornness keeps him awake. He wants to speak with you, by the way.”

“Bijū chakra?“ Minato asked, eyes narrowing.

Saske waved. “Relax. He can handle about... say... four tails worth of it. Five at worst and his seal would remain completely stable. Right now... well at least when I left him and Gaara alone, he was poking into one tail.”

“You’re awfully precise with the counting.“ the Nidaime spoke.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Could you please try not killing me with a glare, Nidaime-sama? I know you don’t have fond memories of my kin, but I am _not_ like them and Naruto’s my blood brother by now. No secrets. Besides, I helped him, when he redisigned his _Shiki F_ _ūjin_. Jiraiya of the Sannin and later the Sandiame too, checked the seal he had made and they deemed it completely fail safe.”

Minato choked in shock, eyes widening. “Naruto did _WHAT_?!“

Sasuke shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong, you and your wife did a good job, but the seal kept messing up his chakra control. It annoyed the hell out of him and he kept whining. So I tossed up the idea of changing the seal and it worked. It’s... you know, he may be my brother, but his whining is _really annoying,_ especially about chakra control. And medical jutsu.”

 _Naruto had changed the seal just like that, because it messed up his chakra control._ If he weren’t Edo Tensei, Minato would have fainted. (Luckily, the Senju brothers seemed as gobsmacked, as Minato felt. So they agreed with him. A Genin changing about an S-rank seal, labelled Kinjutsu even by the Uzumaki, _was not normal_. Good at least he was not losing his mind in death...)

“So... it’s kind of important.“ Sasuke said slowly, concealing his pain masterfully, for someone so young. “Could you three please come. Kami knows I’m not in a good mood and Naruto even less. We don’t need him blowing up the Hokage Monument with the Fox’s chakra.”

Minato couldn’t help but groan. _‘This is your fault, Kushina! He’s got all that temper and pulling out the impossible from you and your Uzumaki ancestors.‘_

* * *

Hashirama studied the young Uchiha, as he led them trough the village, towards the Mountain. Sasuke... was, in certain ways, like Madara. (He surely had a striking resemblance to Izuna. So much, that it was almost frightening.) Yet, the Genin wasn’t like Madara at all.

His chakra was warm and prickling – natures of Lightning and Fire mixing, unlike Madara’s Fire and Wind. And it was a lot calmer. Holding none of the raging grief Madara’s had, after Izuna’s loss. There was some grief, anger and confusion there, but only a silver. So little, that Hashirama could just barely feel it. (Mito had always been better at detecting emotions, than him.) Most of the boy’s chakra was calm, controlled chaos. Sheer _power_ of a kind a child his age should not possess. Of course, his chakra levels were low, but the feeling of power remained lingering...

He was composed, much more, than a any other young lad his age. It was as if he was mentally older, than physically. (That thought weighted him down. They’d founded Konoha, so children would not have to grow up before their time, yet... yet...)

As they reached the stairs, Sasuke stopped and leaned against the wall to catch his breath. The medic in Hashirama panicked. “You should visit the Hospital.”

Sasuke’s gaze found him fast and in a second he was faced with a piercing Sharingan glare. (And Hashirama _felt_ it. The _power_ lurking behind those eyes, so much like Madara’s, still nothing like his rival’s. An odd, inexplainable combination.)

“ ** _No._** The only one I trust with handling my injuries is _Naruto_. Luckily for me, thanks to his Senju-Uzumaki vitality and the Fox, he’s much faster at healing. He should be back to normal in two days. My injuries can wait till then.“

Hashirama frowned disapprovingly (such injuries should be _immediately_ treated), but the Uchiha masterfully ignored it and started the treck up the stairs. He sighed softly and glanced at his fellow Kage. Tobi just rolled his eyes and Minato looked apologetic on his almost-son’s behalf. It was odd to think, that an Uzumaki would be an Uchiha’s godmother, but... at least his and Madara’s efforts at creating peace hadn’t been completely pointless.

After a few minutes, they arrived. The Suna Jichūriki – _Gaara_ , if he remembered correctly, – was sleeping a few feet away, craddled like a child in sand and wood. Both of which had faint traces of chakra – the sand having the redhead’s and someone else’s signature, while the wood carried Naruto’s.

Naruto smiled, his face strained and tired as he looked at them. “Nice to know you all made it.”

Sasuke glanced at Gaara. “How’s Gaara? And Shukaku?“

Hashirama blinked. Why would the Uchiha inquire _after the wellbeing of a Bij_ _ū_?

“Both of them sleeping like babies, as you can see for yourself, Nī-sama. Shukaku made a fuss because of _him_...“ Naruto made a pointed gesture at him and Hashirama tried not to take offence, “but it’s fine now. My clone caught up with Gaara‘s siblings and they’d been brought back. Right now they are being handled by T&I...“

“But they may be able to return to Rasa, once this mess is over.“ Minato said. “Or to their village, that is.“ he said in a quieter tone. “If Orochimaru impersonated Rasa, which seems to be the case, he might be dead.”

Both of the boys winced a bit, before Sasuke sat and gestured for them to do the same. “I bet you have a mountain’s worth of questions.” the young Jichūriki said softly.

“Well, yes.“ Minato said. “Like... how do you have _Mokuton_?!”

Hashirama blinked. That was something he was curious about, too. So far, only he had ever possessed the ability in his Clan.

“I have Senju genes, but that is only half-truth, I suppose.” Naruto said calmly.

“Senju? Naru-chan, your mother was a Royal Uzumaki! The _Heiress_ of Uzu, no less.” Minato said, disbelief colouring his tone. (Well, at least, that explained the blonde’s use of those chains...)

“We know.“ Naruto said, his lips curling upward into a foxy grin. “It’s _you_ , who has the Senju blood, Otō-san. Namely, from the test that had been ran after my Mokuton awakened, it was found that your mother was one Senju Minami. Senju Minami, who was the sole daughter of one Senju Tobirama.”

Tobi had a daughter. Tobi had been with a woman – Tobi had _married_. Hashirama choked.

* * *

Minato’s eyes went very, very wide, as Naruto said, that he had the Senju blood.

Son of Senju Minami and grandson of Senju To...bi...ra...ma....

His mind came to screeching halt and he slowly looked at the silver-haired Kage on his left. The Kage, whose Hirashin he had recreated.

_Grandson of Senju Tobirama._

Minato looked back at Narto, who’s face was utter calmness. His little whirlpool prince (blame Kushina for that nickname, but then again, Naruto _would_ have been a Prince in everything but title, if only Uzu still stood,) was speaking about this, as if he were commenting on the weather.

He couldn’t help it. He gaped.

* * *

Tobirama’s mind froze at the name. _Minami_. His sweet, yet wild daughter had survived – lived a life long enough to have a son of her own. His line continoued. His blood lived on.

And his grandson had become the Yondaime Hokage, with an S-rank. (He had asked Koharu in passing with what had Minato earned the hat. Koharu’s short explanation had left him suitably impressed.)

And this self-sacrificing genius, who’d recreated his _Hirashin_ from scratch was his own _grandson_. A grandson he was very, very proud of and he was sure his daughter would be as well, were she alive to see him.

On the top of it all, his half-Uzumaki great-grandson had the Mokuton. _His_ line had carried the Mokuton!

Tobirama couldn’t help the prankster grin that stretched across his face, as he looked at his older brother. Hashirama _so_ owed him!

“You owe me one, Aniki.“ he said.

Hashirama’s sulky face was the (almost) best part of his day.

* * *

The various expressions and emotions, that went through his family’s faces and the ones he could feel from them, were almost frightening. _Come on_ , not even he was – nor had been – this expressive! No. He refused to believe he had been like _that_.

Still, as he looked at Sasuke, his brother’s face said something completely different. As their gazes met, he knew it.

 _You can’t even deny they’re your blood._ The deep black eyes seemed to say and Naruto huffed, scowling a bit. The amusement, which flashed trough Sasuke’s annoyingly regal (damn the too good genes!) features only made him even sulkier.

After a few more moments of total disbelief, all three former Hokage calmed down somewhat, their gazes settling on him and Sasuke once more. “Any more shocking revelations boys?“ his father asked, as he rubbed his face.

Sasuke cracked a grin. “But... we’re just getting _started_.” he said. Naruto almost rolled his eyes at the glee rolling off of his brother.

“What else do you have to say, young Uchiha?“ the Shodaime asked, his brown gaze settling on Sasuke.

Sasuke hummed. “I bet you all heard about the Rikudō Sennin and how he brought peace and shared chakra with the world.“ when the three nodded, Sasuke continoued. “I assume you are also aware of stories, that state that the Senju, Uzumaki and Uchiha are all the Sennin’s descendants.”

“Yes.” his great-grandfather said, quirking an eyebrow at Sasuke. “But what does that have to do with anything?”

Naruto couldn’t help the snicker, that escaped him. His father’s disapproving look reminded him of another life... when another man, with ringed purple eyes glared at him, when he did something inappropriate...

The thought made him hold back the laughter very fast. The anger of Senju-Namikaze Minato he could stand, but thinking about the disapproval of a certain Sennin was a completely different matter altogether.

“After peace was established and the teachings of Ninshū created, the Sennin had two sons of his blood.“ Naruto said, trying to banish his previous thoughts. “The older inherited his Yin chakra and eyes – thus the Sharingan was born. The younger inherited his Yang chakra and body – the strong chakra and vitality. A carefree perfect childhood, loving father and brother. Realy, nothing missing. Save for the fact, that afforementioned older son – Indra – was a prodigy even by the high standards of the Ōtsutsuki Clan and the Sennin.“ he sallowed, the old memories still burning with phantom pain, despite all that had happened between _then_ and _now_ , “ the younger, – Asura – was a prankster, no good...”

”But a hard worker.“ Sasuke suddenly cut him off, his gaze searing, even with his Sharingan being dormant, “Indra was the responsible one. Whose greatest tresure was family – his younger brother, in fact. But despite that, he was a loner, who spent his time honing his skills in Ninshū. He was always too busy trying to be the perfect son, to actually _stop and think_ about the meaning of those teachings. Nearing the end of his life, the Sennin had set a task for his sons to complete. Indra had made it back first, but he had left and arrived alone. Asura brought followers, friends, whom he taught how to handle their problems by themselves, yet together. And so, seeing the results, the Sennin had named Asura his Heir, despite being younger.”

Naruto’s breath hitched and he contioued. “Indra had retreated on his own and grew more distant. Jelousy and anger drove a wedge between the brothers. That anger and jelousy had turned to hate, which then consumed Indra.”

“The brothers fought.“ Sasuke whispered, “One with the intent to kill, the other with the intent to reunite the fractured family. As time passed, both of their prowess grew. Indra gained a higher level of the Sharingan, unlocking powers not seen before, while Asura gained ability to get in tune with nature and thus, unlocked Mokuton. It also allowed him to harness Senjutsu more easily.”

“Indra fought on his own and Asura fought side by side with their oldest siblings – the nine Bijū. The more time passed, the more skeptical the Bijū grew, that Indra would return to them. Eventually, both settled and had their own families.”

“But they fell at each others’ hand on the battlefield. Sons and daughters swore vegeance for their fallen fathers. Then fallen brothers, children, parents... a vicious, never ending cycle.“ Sasuke took a deep breath. “Indra’s descendants became the Uchiha, wielding his eyes, altough nowhere near as powerful, as his. Asura’s descendants became the Senju and later, trough distant relation, the Uzumaki Clan.”

“But it was not over.“ Naruto said softly. “The chakra of Ōtsutsuki was something else... and both sons’ clung to their belief strongly. So strongly in fact, that they defied the laws of kami, just to prove their point. So as time went by, they were reborn again and again within thier own families, fueling the bloody war, which by the time, had lost it’s meaning.”

“With each reincarnation, they grew stronger and stronger and more _aware_.” Sasuke sighed, “But something happened. The one, who had manipulated Indra so long ago, the one who had played with his feelings of anger and betrayal masterfully enough to turn him against the person he treasured the most...“ he took a deep breath, “...he was not of this world, not a human. So he lived, drifting trough time and waited and watched as the sons’ transmigrants tried gouging each others eyes out. He watched the latest fight between the transmigrants and after Asura’s transmigrant won, this... evil helped him recuperate from that fight, for Indra’s incarnate, even without manipulation, clung to his beliefs too strongly, to simply die. This shade convinced the most recent incarnate of Indra of something horrible. It made the man believe, that those plans, set to destroy the world were not destruction, but the only way to attain peace.”

“And so, the Kyūbi’s attack happened twelve years ago, orchestered by the man, that old Uchiha, who had once held Indra’s chakra. That Uchiha decieved another – it was that younger, unknown Uchiha, who boldly claimed to be Madara, who had set the Kyūbi free.”

“But the cycle contioues, yet it is also broken.“ Sasuke said. “For the selfless sacrifice of loving parents, had saved a child. The child with the blood of Uzumaki and Senju in his veins. A child, who was as much the boy his mother birthed, the last of the Clans’ Main Family, as much he was the very first.”

There was a moment of silence and their eyes met.

“As much Asura, as much Naruto.” Sasuke murmured.

“And as much Indra, as much Sasuke.“ Naruto replied.

They both sighed, tired and their emotions turbulent. The memories, despite them haivng made peace a long ago, were still painful.

After a moment of silence, both looked up at the three Hokage, who were sitting there motionless.

And as the words made sense, all their eyes went wide, shock and disbelief written across their visage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism are the cookies/caffeine of my soul :3


	27. The Ōtsutsuki Brothers (part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special shoutout to < Chryowise > who was the 100th person to bookmark this story! Thank you <3

Minato stared.

For a moment his brain stopped working, trying to process all that had been revealed. His mind was a numb emptiness for a second. Impossible – yet, it was somehow _still_ possible.

Naruto was his son. Yet, Naruto was also someone else’s son. And Sasuke too – Mikoto’s and Fugaku’s son. Yet, also someone else’s son at the same time. And being that someone else’s son, made them brothers, too. Real brothers – brothers by blood, sharing the same parents, not just brothers by oath, as he suspected them to be now.

And that someone else was the _Rikud_ _ō Sennin_ himself! (He had thought the man had just been a legend and here he sat, on the plateu behind the Monument, with his son and almost-son, who were the reincarnations of said legend’s _sons_.)

Indra and Asura Ōtsutsuki. Those were the names they’d carried in their first life (first life! Huh, how strange did _that_ sound?).

Progenitors of the Uchiha and the Senju/Uzumaki Clans respectively. _Naruto_ was his _son_ but he was also his _ancestor_?! Just how much more messed up could this be?

Kami-sama above...

He was almost scared to voice his question. But, he had to know. “W-which names do you use, then?“

Sasuke arched an eyebrow in a regal fashion. “Sasuke and Naruto, of course. Those were the names we were given, no? Yes, we remember a different life, every part of it – the happy, the sad, the bloody parts. But we live in the present, not the past, Hokage-sama.”

“The past should stay where it is.“ Naruto said. “There has been enough blood shed between the families for the mistakes we had made and continoued making, in fact. For after that first time, there have been countless other lives – lives, reincarnation, transmigration. Whichever suits your tastes. There’s always been one of our blood, who carried a spark of our chakra, all our beliefs. And because then we –and those who had been chosen, – could never agree, the war turned bloodier and bloodier.”

“Who... were those people?“ Hashirama asked carefully. “Those like you, I mean.”

Sasuke’s black eyes flashed with amusement. “Hundreds of years had passed. Countless of those names are now meaningless. While those shinobi had been legends of their own, who have reshaped the world with their power and beliefs, as myself and my brother had... time dulls truths. Truths are lost and ignored – why, do you think no Senju or Uchiha ever remembered, that they had once been cousins? Or why no Uzumaki or Senju remember, that they had once been siblings?”

“But...“ Naruto hummed, “I think, one pair of names would stand out for you. A pair, who were like us – powerful, their beliefs shaping and changing the world into what it is today. A pair, who while achieved more than most, was seperated by the very same thing, that had brought them together in the first place. Their beliefs and a dream of a peaceful world.”

“And who were those two?“ his grandfather asked. (That was another thing. Getting used to the fact, that he had a family –a Clan!– and that legendary shinobi, like Tobirama and Hashirama were his _family_.)

Minato looked at the boys with a raised eyebrow. Both of them seemed vaguely amused. “Asura’s chakra had been attached to Senju Hashirama.“ Sasuke said.

There was a heartbeat of silence.

 _“NANI??!!“_ the Shodaime exclaimed, his eyes wide. (Minato was sure the entire village heard that and now everyone was wondering, just what the hell was going on up here...)

Naruto chuckled. “Take a guess who carried Indra’s will at the time.”

“Madara.“ his grandfather said, his tone calm, matter-of-fact. “It was Uchiha Madara.“

Naruto nodded approvingly towards the Nidai. “Correct.”

“You mean... we... Madara and I...“ Hashirama made a few clumsy hand gestures, “All this... was _your_ work?”

Naruto shook his head with a small snort. “No. You’re still _you_. What you’ve achieved side by side, is all _your_ and Madara’s work, not mine or my brother’s. What you did is history for us, as it is for everyone from this time. Actually, everyone lived their lives normally and did things, as they would have happened anyway, reincarnation or not. This... it just drew those two indiciduals closer to one another. Creating a sort of odd link, other than the bloodshed, between the Senju and Uchiha.”

Minato sighed rubbing his face. “I’m kind of lost.” he admitted. He may have been called a genius, but this was a bit too much to wrap his mind around... He hadn’t even dealt with the fact, that his son had lived once before _this_ and now they were adding more information to the pile.

“Asura was Hashirama.“ Sasuke said calmly. “But Hashirama was never Asura. Asura is Naruto, but at the same time, Naruto is Asura. It’s the same with me. Does that make sense?”

“It does.” Tobirama said slowly. “In an odd way, but it _does_ make sense.”

Minato groaned, running a hand trough his hair. His head hurt. All the kami above, his son and Sasuke were harder to deal with, than Kushina and his former Genin team combined...

Maybe there was something good about dying when he did? If he were alive, than half his hair would be missing by now and the remaining half would have turned grey with stress.

* * *

Sasuke watched the three Senjus with barely contained amusement. Their expressions were so much like his brother’s that he needed all his self control not to break down _laughing_. Still, he couldn’t help the amused smirk, that made itself known.

“What’s so funny?“ the Yondaime asked.

Sasuke shook his head. “Nothing.“ he stood up as he felt Gaara’s chakra shift. “It’s just that you three are so much like Asura and Naruto at once, that it’s... entertaining. At the same time, you are so different, than him, that I can barely believe you’re his family.”

“Oi, _N_ _ī-sama_!” Naruto huffed.

He looked at the blonde and rolled his eyes, turning towards Gaara, who was now on his feet, studing them curiously, yet still unsure. Probably because of the Hokages’ presence. “So? How are you feeling?”

Gaara smiled. “Better. Much better. My chakra is off... but...”

“It’s going to be off, for a bit.“ Naruto said apologetically. “The different seal needs more of your chakra to hold and it allows less of Shukaku’s own chakra to mix with yours. In short, your chakra control is shit. So you’ll have to re-learn that.”

Gaara looked suitably horrified at that. “W-what?”

Sasuke patted his shoulder. “It’s a headache Otōto’s gone trough as well, considering we had to change the fox’s seal, too. You’ll manage.”

Gaara gave a small scowl. “Says the one who’s lived twice and literally _invented_ Ninjutsu.”

Sasuke grimaced at that. “I see Shukaku told you a few things. My invention of Ninjutsu is not something I’m proud of. Considering how much we –and later everyone – twisted Ninshū for their own means, I don’t think it’s something to be proud of.”

“ _You_ invented Ninjutsu?“ the Nidaime asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sasuke nodded. “Yeah. And Asura was the one to lay the foundations of chakra healing.”

“Any more mindblowing information?“

Sasuke shook his head. “That’s all, I suppose, Minato-sama. Did we miss something, Otōto?”

“I don’t think so. Now, how about you two sitting down?“

“Well,“ Minato stood up. “I think we’ll be leaving you three to speak for a bit. We’ll have to check the village anyway. Since there is no official Hokage, it’s either the Council grabbing for more power, or the village will end up like headless chickens. So we’ll step up, temporarly. And then we’ll have to find someone, to become the Godaime.”

“What happened to the Senju?“ Tobirama asked, looking at Naruto.

Naruto shrugged. “Hadn’t asked the Sandaime. Hadn’t been that close and after Graduation we became kind of busy. I know that the only other Senju left is Tsunade, but she hadn’t set foot in the village, since Otō-san and Okā-san died in the sealing.”

Suddenly, both of the Senju brothers looked thunderous. “Tsunade left family behind? An _orphan_ at that?!” the Shodai asked. “W-what had become of my sweet girl? Abandoning family...”

The Nidai glared at his brother. “See? I _told you,_ that spoiling the girl will come and bite you back someday. And all that spoiling... you and Mito coddled her and now she turned her back to the village. Her family.”

Naruto frowned. “Yeah. I have some issues with the people left of my family. My godfather’s just turned up a month ago and sauntered into Namikaze property, as if he’d owned the place and when he dumped in on my head, that he was in fact, my godfather, he expected me to welcome him with a hug and a pat on the back.”

“You hadn’t known, that Jiraiya-sensei was your godfather?“

Naruto looked at his father and shook his head. “No. I only had Sasuke for a very long time. Oh and the ANBU, who guarded us. Kakashi and Yamato among them, who are now our senseis. So the four of us are... a little misfit family. And add the grumpy fox too. He’s actually helpful, after he got over Indra’s betrayal. We needed to have a long chat with him... but it’s worth it. One more sibling along for the ride.” he grinned.

“S- _sibling_?“ the Shodaime asked.

Sasuke hummed. “Of course. The Bijū are our older siblings...“ he looked at Gaara, “which kind of makes the other eight Jinchūriki our family, too. Oh and the Kaguya of Kiri and the Hyūga too. Hamura oji-sama’s daughters, after all, were the progenitors of those Clans.”

“I need a drink.“ the Shodai murmured.

“For once, I agree with you, anija.”

The Yondaime seemed the worst off and were he alive, Sasuke would have said to visit a hospital. “I need _more_ than one drink. And a few blows of ramen.”

“Lead the way.“ the Mokuton-user murmured.

Sasuke doubted that dead – resurrected– people could get drunk, but he decided not to mention it. The three seemed to be in a bad shape anyway.

Once the three Senju were gone, Gaara looked at them a bit uncertainly. “What you just said... did you mean it? A...about family.”

Naruto smiled brightly, his grin rivaling the sun. “Of course he meant it! The Bijū are or siblings! So their Jinchūriki are also our family.” he said, reaching forwards to hug Gaara. Gaara’s eyes went wide.

“I... I never really had a family, despite having a father and siblings. My father... just wanted a weapon and my siblings fear me, like everyone else in Suna.” he muttered.

Sasuke frowned at that. Asura had been his greatest treasure in his first life and even now – _now_ Naruto was no less important. Despite everything that happened, they were still brothers. There was no greater treasure in the world, than a sibling. So it was hard for him to comprehend, how Gaara’s own siblings could fear him so much to alienate him.

He patted the redhead on the shoulder to comfort him, but Naruto had different ideas. The blonde pulled at his garments and he lost his balance despite sitting down and they ended up on the grass, like a ball of tangled limbs.

Naruto laughed. “Uh, big.... family hug?” he asked sheepishly.

Sasuke glared and for a moment, the thought of strangling him appeared in his mind. But then, Gaara chuckled. Sasuke shifted his gaze and for a second, he saw the loneliness in his eyes. The same loneliness he’d seen in Naruto during the early days of the Academy.

Shukaku was their sibling. And now, so was Gaara. His lips twitched upwards, as he brought both of them into a short hug. “Yeah, family. And Ōtsutsuki never leave their own behind.”

“Family...“ Gaara muttered, “Thank you. Thank you both.”

If the redhead’s grip was a bit stronger, than it was comfortable, neither him nor Naruto voiced it.

* * *

Now that the questioning of his siblings was over, he could see them again and – thanks to the word of the Shodaime,– all three of them could go home. Gaara was glad that he could go back to Suna, but at the same time, he was afraid of leaving.

Days had passed and even those short few days were... interesting. And a time he would forever cherish. Naruto and Sasuke – or, maybe Asura and Indra?, he still couldn’t decide wich names would be more appropriate to use, – had showed him what it was like to have people, who didn’t fear him. They also spent time with the Bijū, which helped him build the sart of something nice with Shukaku. He’s also learned, that _Kurama_ was the Kyūbi’s proper name. (Naruto had mentioned it once during the mess, but then, it had not made much sense.)

He stopped before the door, which seperated him from Temari and Kankuro. He was a bit unsure – his relationship with them had never been the best. And now... now he feared what they would think of him.

“They’re your siblings.“ Sasuke said. “And no matter what happens, your siblings always stand by you. No matter how cold and distant you were with them, or how much of an idiot. Whichever the case.”

Gaara took a deep breath and stole a glance at the Uchiha. “Are you sure?”

Sauske gave a small snort. “I think, I would know it better, than most.”

Gaara hummed. “True, I suppose.“ he muttered.

It was strange to think, that two who were around his age, were also _technically_ older, than him. Much, much older. But... the wisdom and power, which came with that age suited both Naruto and Sasuke strangely well.

He carefully wrapped his sand around the knob for practice and opened the door. Oh, it’ll be annyoing to train his chakra control again, but at least, he could now sleep at night, like every other normal peron. He stepped in and the two followed quietly behind him, lingering near the door to give him and his siblings space, yet still be near, just as he’d asked them.

Neither Temari, nor Kankuro looked up, their gazes resolutely on the ground. “Nē-san. Nī-san.” he called softly, uncertainly. He couldn’t even recall the last time he’d addressed them as such.

Both of their gazes shot up to meet his, shock (and was that relief?) written across their features.

“Gaara...” Temari called cautiously. He stepped closer and tried to ignore the way his brother tensed at his approach.

“Let’s go home.”

Temari blinked at him, her green eyes widening a bit. “We can go? Just like that?”

“Hai.“ he nodded.

“I brought you back, so Gaara would not have to be alone on the way home.“ Naruto spoke suddenly, drawing his siblings’ attention to him. “Now that it’s proved that Orochimaru had a hand in this, you may go home freely. Altough there will be some sanctions on Suna from Hi no Kuni, for the damage inflicted during the fighting.”

“And what are those sanctions?“ Kankuro asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing on the blonde.

Gaara frowned a bit. The two Konoha shinobi were as much his family now, as Kankuro and Temari. “ _Kankuro_. Could you please be nice? It’s thanks to those two, that we can go home. And that I can live a normal life, starting today.”

Both of his sibligns looked at him in shock. “W-what?“ Temari asked.

“Naruto and his family fixed Shukaku’s seal, so it’s better now. I’m even able to sleep.“ he smiled.

“What did you...?”

“Nothing, Temari-san.” Sasuke spoke. “We just helped someone in need. That thing was so crappy, that even I could do better and I’m half as good as Naruto, when it comes to seals and let’s not mention the other members of his family, currently roaming our streets. He’s able to sleep, like everyone and regulate when he needs the Bijū’s chakra. How much he learns to handle in the future, is up to how well he and Shukaku can work together.”

Gaara smiled at the two. “Thank you for the help.”

Naruto grinned and walked closer. “Think nothing of it. We’re brothers, remember?“

“Yeah.“ he nodded.

Naruto reached into an inside pocket of his haori and offered something. Gaara blinked and took it. It was a small circular wooden charm with the Kanji for _trace_ on one side, while the other had a Kanji for _support_.

“Carry this with you. If you need us to find you, because you need help, push some chakra into this, so that the _trace_ Kanji will glow. If you’re in bigger trouble, than you think I could handle without my own Bijū’s aid, then push more chakra into it and both of the Kanji will glow. We’ll be able to find you and we’ll know it’s also big trouble.”

He took the charm and secured it around his neck. “Arigato, Naruto.” he muttered. It was still hard to believe, that those two were now _also_ his family. His friends and his family – hard to believe, that no matter what, he could count on these two amazing people backing him.

“Think nothing of it.“ the blonde smiled. “If you feel like chatting, ask Shukaku to establish a link between him and the fox. We can speak there. But, since the distance is bigger and since you will be inside your seal, perhaps it would be best at night. If you’re troubled,...” he glanced at Sasuke, “...we don’t mind losing a few hours of sleep.”

Sasuke smirked. “Just don’t do it more than twice a week, or I will never be able to drag him out of bed and we need to train.”

“Oi, Nī-sama... are you saying I’m _lazy_?!” Naruto cried indigniantly, giving the older a mock glare. “I’ll let you know I’m _not_. I just like how warm and comfortable my bed is!”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Whatever makes you sleep at night, Otōto.”

 **“They didn’t change one bit, from when we were younger.“** Shukaku said amusedly. **“Save for perhaps Indra actually spending time with Asura-kun. And generally making an effort for us to be a family.”**

Gaara hummed amusedly at the tanuki. _‘If I didn’t know how powerful and serious they were most of the time, I would say they weren’t even the Sennin’s sons.‘_

 **“They are not his sons.“** Shukaku said. **“Yet at the same time, they are very much his sons.”**

Gaara cleared his troath to get their attention. He hoped, that one day, he would be this close to Temari and Kankuro. That one day, despite what happened in the past, they could be a real family.

Both of them looked at him, their faces smoothing into pleasant calmness. Sasuke nodded towards the door, as he pushed himself away from the wall. “Come on. We’ll escort you three out. The village leadership’s terms on peace with Suna may make it to you in a month or so.”

Gaara nodded. “We’ll be sure to tell that to our Council.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments. Thank you for reading :3


	28. Interlude I: Odd Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a filler to show the boys´ days with the Hokages and how some people see it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a little bit lighter chapter, amidst all that seriousness, fighting and planning to stop a world catastrophe. Because Naruto and Sasuke are still ones, who need love and some positivity, amidst all that weight on their shoulders.

It was on the urging of Ino, that Sarutobi Asuma wandered into Training Ground Four– followed by his Genin–, which Team Thirteen had claimed for themselves. Considering how close the place was to the Senju Compound, it made sense, that Kakashi had chosen this place – or at least, would have made sense. However, Naruto didn’t live in the Senju Compound, so it was pointless. Asuma was left wondeirng _why_ Kakashi had chosen the place.

Not that it mattered much. Training Ground Four was where Team Thirteen could always be found and today was no different. The team was there, like always, well three of them. Yamato was missing, but Asuma was sure it was because they had their hands full with straightening out the village. It was lucky, that in the end, Orochimaru’s plan to use the three Hokage had failed. And now, even if temporarly the three legendary shinobi were in the village to whip it into shape.

It eased Asuma’s mind somewhat – the village without a Kage was dangerous, politically. Of course, they would need an actual Godaime soon, but with the three dead legends back form behind the gates of Death, could also be a solution.

Nidaime-sama and Yondaime-sama were busing themselves with setting the village straight, altough he hadn’t seen the Shodai anywhere. He wondered where the true Kami no Shinobi had gone off to. Another part of him was curious, why the Yondaime wasn’t with Naruto.

“Ah, hello Asuma.“

Asuma nodded. “Kakashi.”

 _“Sasuke-kun...!”_ Ino called, her voice unnaturally shrill, immediately jumping on the Uchiha.

The Uchiha dodged Ino expertly and stood to his full height. As he stood, the first thing that flashed into Asuma’s mind, when he saw the Uchiha was _regal_. “Do _not_ do that again, Ino-san. You try something like that again, I will be forced to use force to make sure you keep a respectable distance.”

Ino drew up short at that and Asuma saw her eyes widen. However, before she could say something, they were disturbed by a loud _crack_. Sasuke immediately changed positions, standing next to Kakashi.

Then, Naruto burst forth from the trees, followed by... the Shodaime.

 **“Mokuton: Mokusatsu Shibari no Jutsu!“** (Wood Release: Smothering Binding Technique) the Shodaime called, as his hands transformed into wood, shooting towards Naruto.

Naruto jumped upwards and flared his chakra. **“Mokuton: Sen’nohana Ha!”** (Wood Release: Thousand Flower Blades)

The countless tiny – orange – flowers that formed around Naruto all shot towards the Hokage. The man avoided by using Doton to hide under the ground. Naruto landed on the ground with a sigh, but Asuma could see he was not calm. Hashirama burst from the earth and Naruto leapt away doing a set of seals. **“Mokuton: Ibara no Arare!”** (Wood Release: Hail of Thorns)

The Shodaime stopped and his chakra flared in response. **“Mokuton: Mokujōheki!”** (Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall)

The wall of wood rose before the man, arching slightly over him, to stop the great thorns. Even before the man could step away from the safety of his creation, Naruto appeared next to him with a Shunshin and swung. The Hokage dodged the punch – which, Asuma decided might have been the sensible idea. The chakra-enhanced blow cracked the wood, after all. _‘Oh, the kid certainly knows how to pack a punch.‘_

The Hokage smiled and retailiated with a series of fast strikes – and from what Asuma knew, he was aiming his open-palmed attacks at medically important points. Naruto dodged two of the rapid attacks, but the third one hit him and he staggered back with a grunt and then in his attempt to backtrack, he lost his balance, falling on his back.

The Shodaime stopped above the blonde, both of his hands in an open palmed position, similar to how a Hyūga held them.

The blonde groaned. “Damn you, Oji-san. That’s a win for ya.”

The Shodaime chuckled and helped up the blonde. “But you’re fast, Naruto-kun. Creative and skilled, when using your abilities, as well as your surroundings. Considering that your body is still developing, all your skills are top notch.”

The blonde dipped his head modestly. “Arigato. Hm, I was hoping you’d teach me some extra chakra control and Medical Jutsu.“

As the two walked towards them, Asuma watched. He’d heard that Naruto was the Shodai’s great-grandnephew, but it was just a fact on paper. Something he knew and accepted as part of life. Now, now that the man was here, even if for a bit, _obviously training the blonde_... it was different.

“Gladly.“

As the two combatants’ gazes shifted, Asuma bowed, followed by his students. “Shodaime-sama.”

The man nodded with a smile. “Good day.”

“My turn.” Sasuke spoke suddenly, calmness personified. “That is, if you don’t mind.”

The Hokage grinned. (The grin vaguely reminded Asuma of Naruto himself.) “Not at all. I heard from Tobi and Minato, that you have some special fire. I would like to see it, if you don’t mind, Sauske.”

The Uchiha grinned. “Those flames were made to counter Mokuton, with the least possible chakra consumption from the user, so careful what you wish for, Hokage-sama.”

Asuma gaped and his cigarette fell. That... that was a warning. A _Genin_ was warning a _Hokage_. And he didn’t sound arrogant or overconfident at all...

“Well, all the more reason for me to see them.“ the Hokage took his stane. Asuma saw as Sasuke’s eyes bled into the Sharingan and then the Uchiha took that unfamiliar stance he had been using all trough the Chūnin Exams.

And then, hell broke loose.

* * *

Sauske cursed, as the Shodai’s blow sent him flying.

If there was something, which he had learned over time, it was that no Senju should be engaged in Taijutsu, useless the individual wanted to collect several broken bones.

His brother had learned chakra-enhanced strenght slower, than _he_ had in the past, but in the end, said skill had become the base of his personal style. Now it seemed, it was a common occurance for Senju (or occassionally Uzumaki) to learn it, after they mastered chakra control. The Shodai was no different.

And gods be good, the man surely hit just as hard as Asura had. His back hit a tree and every last whisp of oxygen left his system. Someone shrieked in the distance, but he could care less. He just wanted to breath properly again.

After a few hard moments, it was easier, but his back still ached.

“Oh, gomen Sasuke.“ the Shodai said, as the man stopped above him. “It seems I had miscalculated very badly... Let me...”

“You did not miscalculate.“ Sasuke murmured. He didn’t even protest, as green medical chakra covered the man’s hand. “I was slow. Since I know how you fight... like Naruto... I usually use chakra to reinforce my body, just before the blow connetcs. As it is, I am not as fast, as I had once been. That’s why both of us need training.”

“And we’ll help the most we can.“ the Shodaime assured him. “We will not let the world be destroyed. Short as it may be, this is our chance to aid you and we will.”

Once the medical chakra faded, Hashirama helped him stand and Sasuke didn’t even protest.

“Nī-sama! Are you...?”

Sasuke huffed, looking at the blonde, who was approaching with Kakashi and Team Ten in tow. “Relax Otōto, it’s just a notch worse than your own punches. Besides, he’s healed the worst of it. But... I need a break.“ he sighed. “I don’t have your inhuman stamina and reserves.”

“The difference is not that bad between the two of you.“ the Shodaime said.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “You’re trying to convince the wrong person. I know that the stronger body and denser chakra he has gives him enough energy to run... say five laps, if with all I have, I run four. Consiering his condition and the fact that his mother had shared said condition, that gives him stamina to run two more figurative laps.”

The Shodai scratched the back of his neck. “Gomen. I seem to have forgotten you’re much more _aware_ , than others.“

Sasuke almost rolled his eyes at the veiled message. _I forgot about the reincarnation._

“No matter.”

“So, mind teaching me some of the Medical Arts?” his brother asked, his violet eyes shining with excitement.

“Of course not, Naruto-kun. Come on.”

* * *

Sasuke was just about done with his break, when he felt his sensory tingle. As he looked up he saw the Nidai and Naruto’s father. He nodded towards them in greeting.

The blonde raised an eyebrow. “Relaxing already?“

Sasuke shrugged. “I don’t have that inhuman stamina that Uzumaki and Senju possess. My chakra is different. Besides, there’s as much value in training, as in resting.”

“Well said.“ the Nidaime nodded sagely. “Where is Hashirama?“

“He’s off teaching Otōto medical jutsu as a break.“

“Naruto? As a medic?“ Minato murmured. “Odd to think about it, even if I know what I do now.“

Sasuke hummed. “It comes in handy.”

“I would think so.“

Sasuke studied the two Senju for a moment and somehting popped into his mind. “Would you two mind teaching me some Fūinjutsu? I know the absolute, daily basics, but not more. Which is a bit bothersome, considering my brother’s half-Uzumaki. I’d never be able to beat him, when it comes to that field. The Shinju knows he’s the most creative person on the planet, but it would be nice _not_ to die from seals, if he’s not there to pull me out of a tight spot.”

Grandson and grandfather shared a look, before the Nidaime’s dark red eyes settled on him. “To start off, how much do you already know?”

“Well...”

* * *

“Ne, Otō-san...“ Naruto called, as they approached. He noticed Kakashi speaking with Asuma, while the Sarutobi’s strudents were working on chakra control and some theory, if the scrolls in front of them were any indication.

He was walking calmly next to the Shodai, completely spent. Who knew medical training could be so tiresome? Sasuke was sitting on the grass, flanked by his father and great-grandfather. Judging from the scrolls and brushes all around them, the two former Kage were teaching his brother seals – huh, odd. He would have never thought Sasuke woud learn more, than the absoute necessary.

Everyone froze in what they were doing, looking at him – Team Ten and Kakashi included.

The three other members of his family all looked up from the scrolls, Sasuke’s hand freezing mid-stroke. “Nī-sama? Are you... is that a _sealing brush_ in your hand?”

Sasuke shrugged. “Got to learn someting more of it, than the basics. This seemed the good time for it. I needed a break from physical training, but that does not mean I cannot pay attention to detail. Besides, it would have been foolish of me to pass up the opportunity to learn it, when I have the two best masers of said Art right here. No?”

Naruto hummed. “Yeah. Of course. Hope you’re having fun.” he grinned.

Sasuke scowled back. “Oh, wipe that look off your face Otōto. You know this sort of thing was always hard for me.”

“Well, at least something. Becuase you were always the proper perfect one.” he grunted back.

“I just had enough...”

“ _Boys_.“ his father called, tone lightly reprimanding. “No need for that. What is it you wanted, Naru-kun?”

Naruto hummed. “Well, you see Otō-san...“

“ _Naruto_.“ his father cut him off again, a rather sulky look on his face. Well, sulky if you asked Naruto. The younger blonde was sure, that his father would deny ever making such a childish face.

Naruto blinked, looking at his father in confusion. “What?”

Kakashi snickered off to the side. “He hates formality, Naruto. Don’t you, _Hokage-sama?_ ”

His father looked at his former student and rolled his eyes. “Oh, _quiet_ now, Kakashi. I may technically be dead, but I can still hand your ass to you in a spar. Obito’s Sharingan in use or not.“

Naruto glanced to the side and saw Kakashi’s lone eye widened a bit, before he threw up his hands in surrender and took a few steps back. “Gomen, sensei.” he said, his eye crinckling into an upside-down U, with the most innocent look on his features possible with so much of his face covered.

Naruto heard Sasuke mutter a ‘coward‘ from where his brother sat next to the Nidaime.

“Did you say something, Sasuke?“ his father asked. Naruto threw a worried look at his brother. Sasuke, ever-composed as he was, matched the blue eyes.

“Nothing, Minato-sama.” he answered simply. Naruto saw his father twitch. Then he turned away from Sauske with a huff.

“Alright son. What is it you were trying to say?”

Naruto took a deep breath. “Well, you see Otō-san...“ his father’s eyes narrowed and a wave of Killing Intent spread trough the area.

“Naruto. Sasuke.“ Kakashi called.

Both of them looked up. “Hai, Kashi-sensei?“

“Run. _Fast_.”

Naruto didn’t ask questions. He did, as Kakashi told him to, Sasuke hot on his heels. Sadly for them, Minato was one of the two people, who were called the fastest shinobi, while they were alive.

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke had the weirdest family she’d ever seen, Ino decided.

She’d been observing the boys for a while now and since the three dead Hokage were back, she saw a completely new side of her two former classmates.

No, their family wasn’t odd, because they were dead. It was something else...

Like how the two of them, not related by blood, treated and loved each other, like siblings. Hell, she had twin cousins on her father’s side, both of them boys and they were not even quarter as good at being siblings, as Sauske and Naruto.

They were always together, helping and supporting the other, no matter what. Their love for each other, as well as their friendship was clear to see for anyone, who stopped just for a moment. Bright, sunny Naruto and quiet, antisocal Sasuke –they made the oddest pair. A pair, who worked flawlessly together. They teased each other, hugged each other, laughed and cried with each other. (They never argued, like others in a family. Sure, there were times, when they didn’t agree, but after a short scowling match, they would always discuss it sensibly, like grown-ups. It was kind of strange, how... mature they were.)

Still, despite it all, they were formal with one another, to such a level, that stangers would think it abnormal. Actually, it wasn’t _normal_ , but it still fit with their personalities in an odd way.

She also noticed how formal they were with the three Hokage. At first, she thought it was because the three were Hokage, but then she had to reconsider. One morning she caught them – well, Naruto, Sasuke and Yondaime-sama – eating at Ichiraku Ramen.

“Minato-sama...” Sasuke called. She was close, but she tried beng sneaky – it would be a pain to explain, why she was listening in on a private conversation.

“Sasuke-kun, for the _hundredth_ time. Kushina was your godmother. You’re practically my family, Senju and Uchiha blood aside. Or because of it – _whatever_. You understand what I mean, right?“

She heard Sasuke snort. “Of course.”

“Well, point is, no need to be formal.“ she heard Yondaime-sama say. Her eyes were wide. She’d asked her father about Naruto’s mother. Both of her parents spoke highly of the Princess of Uzu. A Heiress and Clan Head in her own right, one of the deadliest Kunoichi of Konoha. S-ranked, just like her husband. (Naruto’s family was full of deadly people. Those she knew of were all Kage-level shinobi.)

That deadly kunoichi was Sasuke’s godmother?

“Habit.“ Sasuke muttered. “You know, when eyes like my father’s follow you everywhere, you learn to be proper. It reflects on the Clan. And it was different then...”

“I see.”

Ino’s eyes were wide. She thought Sasuke didn’t like speaking about his parents? So why was he mentioning his father now? And... his father had told her, that some Clans were strickter with traditions, of course. But she thought the Hyūga were the only ones like that, so strict, in Konoha.

Sasuke-kun’s family had been like that too? So strict and cold? No wonder he was the way he was. No wonder he was so close to Naruto – maybe it was Naruto, who showed him, that he could let go of those traditions, while still remembering his family?

 _‘Poor Sasuke-kun. Hope Naruto will make sure he’s okay in the future, too.‘_ she thought.

“Is that why Naruto’s like that too?“ the Yondaime asked. “So formal.”

Sasuke hummed. “Partially. It reflects on the people he gets associated with. But, it’s more respect, from him. Actual respect. And you know, from me too. Old habits are hard to kill, but...”

Ino blinked. She thought Naruto had lived alone. Had he been taken in by the Uchiha’s for a short while before they all died? Naruto had certainly made an effort during the Academy to spend time with Sasuke, even if Sasuke had seemed unsure at first. (However, it hadn’t escaped her, that the boys had become much, much closer after the Massacre.)

“You would try to hold those habits back, if you thought differently of the people you’re speaking to.“ the Yondaime said.

“Yes. I still remember that one time... there was this kid, who’d picked on Otōto...”

Ino shook her head and slipped away. Naruto and Sasuke were the odd ones she would never undserstand. They loved each other like siblings, yet were formal... _archaic_... aristocratic.

If she didn’t know any better, she would have said their minds had made a stop at the Warring Clans Era, or something, before they were born.

* * *

 **“You know, you’re the oddest family ever.“** Kurama commented, as Naruto was spawled on the ground, trying to catch his breath from training.

Gods knew his great-grandfather was a slave-driver. A sort that probably hadn’t been since, in Konoha. He was completely spent – his limbs felt like rocks,– which was something, considering all his usual energy and physical endurance.

_‘Why would you say that?‘_

**“Well, Tenzo, Kakashi, three dead Hokage, who are temporary here to train you... just plain wierd. Even for me.”**

Naruto snorted. _‘Oh, quiet now, Kurama. Besides, you’re also part of this weird family, so don’t leave it from the list either.‘_

“Are you ready for another spar, Naruto?“

Naruto groaned as he sat up to face his father. Gods damn him, his father was fast and precise. It was like fighting Indra all over again, save for perhaps his father being even faster and not having a Sharingan to pull nasty tricks with.

“You’re a slave-driver, just like Tobirama oji-san.”

His father rolled his eyes. “Well _excuse me,_ Naruto, but it’s not me who has a chakra goddess for grandmother, who by the way, wants to take over the world.” his father snarked.

Naruto growled. “You know, sometimes I regret we ever told you all of that.”

Even before his father had a chance to respond, he leapt forwards, wooden staves forming in his hand, ready to deliver deadly blows...

* * *

Senju Hashirama was an odd man, Sasuke decided. Even more odd, than his brother, which was a feat, considering Asura’s nature and his quirks.

But despite his odd nature, the man was a very good sparring partner and teacher and somewhere along the way – the more time he spent around the three resurrected Senju, the more he felt like he had a family again.

After the initial shock of their revelations passed, the three Hokage had decided to stick around a bit longer, to help deal with the mess inside the village, while helping them train. Sasuke would have thought, that Hashirama would break down, when they revealed that one of the mad Uchihas, who wanted to rule the world with the help of their non-human grandmother, was Madara.

Madara had after all, been the Shodai’s friend.

The man hadn’t been happy of what had become of his former friend, but it had the opposite result. Hours after that heavy conversation, the Mokuton-user sought him out and told him, that the three of them had decided to stay a bit, to help him and Naruto train.

Between the mad training supervised by the three Hokage and their senseis, Sasuke could not focus on anything else, but the _now_.

He got to spend some time with the Yondaime, who, by now was like an uncle/father. Even the Nidai had eased up and it was nice. It was like he had his family back, together as a whole.

Yamato and Kakashi were the slightly unhinged, lazy and completely unnecessarily overprotective cousins. The Yondiame had become a sort-of father to him, too. There was Naruto of course, his energetic, toruble-magnet baby brother. The Shodai was the overly cheerful, idiotic uncle with random bouts of wisdom, which Sasuke thought rivalled his father from his first life. The Nidai was the slightly detached, serious uncle, who was a good listener and had an unexpected penchant for pranking.

(No, that paint incident, which involved the Nidai, his brother and his freshly washed clothes, will _never_ be spoken of again.) Anyone, who so much as mentioned the words ‘Nidaime‘ and ‘paint‘ in the same sentence near him, he would burn with Amaterasu without an ounce of remorse.

So yes. Life was nice, even if it only lasted for a bit.

They were an odd family, misfits and bloodied warriors, borken by the cruelty of war, weightened by mistakes... but they understood each other. They had forgiven past grievances and were working towards something better.

For the first time in ages, Sasuke thought the people, that surrounded him reminded him of the warm comfort, which the Ōtsutsuki had been, while him and Asura were growing up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Sasuke mentions things were different, he means the past. Ino takes it, that he was talking about the Uchihas/Fugaku, but Sasuke was in fact, speaking about Hagoromo.


	29. Truth’s Price

Going to back to his old house, after having abandoned it so long ago was strange. But for some reason, the three Kage wanted to see it. So Sasuke didn’t protest too much. He had little attachment to the place by now and even if he happened to have a nightmare tonight, his brother would not say a word. (Altough, he honestly hoped he wouldn’t have nightmares. After the Wave incident, he had finally gotten rid of the last of the shadows, that haunted him. He didn’t need them coming back.)

As they entered the house, he waved at the three men. “Feel free to have a look around. The little I had needed from his has long since been moved to the Namikaze house.”

“Thank you, Sasuke.” the Yondaime said quietly, as the three Senju walked deeper into the building.

A hand touched his shoulder and he looked at Naruto, who was looking at him with worry. “Are you alright, Nī-sama? Or should we wait outside?”

Sasuke took a deep breath, tampering down the dark, bloody memories. A part of him detested that night – another part was grateful, that Itachi had caught him in the Genjutsu. He wondered, if the bloody cycle of war between Senju and Uchiha would have been broken, if him and Naruto didn’t remember. Somehow, he doubted it... and that would have inevitably doomed the world to destruction and slavery.

“No, Otōto. I’m fine. In fact, I want to check around too.”

Naruto arched an eyebrow. “What are you hoping to find?”

Sasuke shook his head. “I don’t know. Just... let’s look around.”

* * *

He had expected many things – really he would have expected to find anything, but _this_. Here he sat, in the middle of the spartan room (more neat and spartan, than the rest of the house, that is). Here he sat, on the cold floor of the room, which had once belonged to Itachi, with a part of the floor missing, a small leather-bound book in his lap, open at the last two pages, that still had an entry.

It was Itachi’s journal. (A journal he had never known even _existed_. One, which would not have been found, if Naruto wasn’t so hoplessly clumsy, to kiss the floor just because that floorboard had been loose.)

And the last two pages, splattered with dried blood, made his own blood freeze in shock, while it also sent howling rage trough him. Itachi’s usually neat, perfect letters were unsteady and hurried.

**_Danzo wants me to kill the Clan, so Sasuke can live... but Danzo killed Shisui. I can’t trust him, but I can’t risk Sasuke’s safety either. And the masked man... Oh, kami forgive me for the coming nights. This is as much for Konoha, as much it’s for Sasuke._ **

Itachi... Itachi had been forced into killing the Clan? Itachi... Itachi hadn’t fallen to the Curse. No, quite the opposite. Itachi...

Naruto gripped his arm in reassurance, the dense, warm chakra wrapping him in a protective blanket, as if his brother hoped to ward off his rage and grief. He wanted to cry and howl and _burn something,_ but he just squeezed his eyes shut and clung to Naruto’s comforting presence. (He had lost it once and it had led to ages-long bloody war. He would _not_ lose it _again_...)

“Sasuke? Naruto?”

The careful call of the Yondaime jolted him from his thoughts. Sasuke needed a moment to gather himself and close the journal. Then, he stood up, clinging to Naruto for support, because if Naruto left him now... _‘No. Don’t think about that. He’s not going anywhere.‘_

He looked at the older blonde. “What is it?” he asked, doing his best to remain composed. Minato looked at him sorrowfully, as he made a gesture towards the sitting room.

“May we have a word? I...It’s important.”

He nodded and walked towards the sitting room, the Hokage following behind him. Naruto’s grip didn’t falter for a second, his chakra a constant presence, filling his senses. For once, Sasuke was grateful – the overwhelming presence of his friend’s/brother’s chakra was the only thing, that kept him grounded at the moment.

The writing still floated meneacingly in front of his mind’s eye. **_Danzo wants me to kill the Clan, so Sasuke can live..._**

He sat down, Naruto next to him. Minato walked to sit opposite them. The Shodaime sat in the middle, flanked by his brother and grand-nephew. He held a small stack of papers.

“Sasuke... what we have to say will be hard...“ the Mokuton-user started softly. “We found these... I have a feeling it might have been left there intentionally for you to find someday...“ he slid the papers over.

Sasuke took the sheets and read them. His eyes went wide. He tore at the page, wanting to see more. _No_. This had to be some joke.

His Clan had wanted to take over the village and cause a civil war...

Another page tossed to the side. The document went into more detail about how the Clan would have taken over, using the _Ky_ _ūbi Jinch_ _ūriki_ to secure their power...

Sasuke tossed the pile down and wretched himself out of his brother’s grip, bolting for the bathroom. He was sick. His Clan would have ruined the village that had been built, using his siblings, just like Madara and the nameless masked moron... (He had honestly hoped, that only Madara and the masked bastard were so sick to attempt utter and complete domination... but no. All his kin had been like that.)

By the time Naruto arrived, he was merely dry-having, his head still spinning. Carefully, Naruto’s arms wrapped around him and he felt the soothing warmth of medical chakra seep into his body. “Nī-sama?” the blonde whispered.

 _“What have we done?“_ he choked out. “We doomed the world, Otōto. I doomed my kin to fall, for they carried and nurtured the hate, that I had once felt for you and Otō-sama. Now... now those lunatics are out there somewhere, planning to rule the world with the power of _our siblings_.”

“We’ll stop them. We know what _not_ to do now and we’ll do better this time around.”

Sasuke sallowed and his mind flashed back to Itachi. Itachi, whom he hated and pitied in equal measure for falling to the Curse... _‘But he hadn’t fallen. They ordered him to kill the Clan. He chose **me** over the Clan...‘_

That realisation was heavier, than most of the things he carried with him since his past life.

Naruto gently tugged at his sleeve and led him back into the sitting room, where the other Senju were waiting.

“They ordered him to do it.” he murmured, numb yet angry at the same time.

“Who ordered what?” the Shodai asked.

“Itachi was ordered to kill them to prevent the mess, which you found outlined on the documents.“ he clarified. “A man named Danzo killed my cousin, Shisui – he had the Mangekyō. Then he blackmailed Itachi. Kill the Clan or Danzo would have killed me, I persume. Itachi wrote, that he does what he did, so I can live...”

* * *

An hour later four Senju and an Uchiha were on the war path, striding towards the Council Chambers, chakra and Killing Intent radiating from all of them to such extent, that the civilians, whom they passed fell to their knees.

When they reached their destination, Naruto released a blast offf wind chakra, which opened the doors so forcefully, that the heavy, Mokuton-created wood almost came off its hinges. As they strode in, the council looked up.

“Hokage-sama...?” one of the civilians asked.

“Civilians _out_.“ Minato snarled. “This is purely Clan business. And close the doors behind yourselves.”

Feeling the anger and bloodlust radiating from the group, all the present civilians quickly scattered, closing the doors.

“What is the meaning of this, Hokge-sama?“ Aburame Shibi asked.

Five deadly stares settled on a certain bandaged war-hawk. “Shimura Danzo, you are charged with treason and the orchestering of genocide.“ Minato said coldly.

Danzo’s visible eye settled on the older blonde. “I have no idea on what grounds are you accusing me...”

“On the grounds of a journal entry, written and dated by Uchiha Itachi.” Sasuke hissed. “You blackmailed him. Kill the Clan or you will hurt me. Itachi chose _me_ over the Clan. The Clan may have betrayed the village, but you killed my cousin for his eye and you blackmailed Itachi.”

“And... what is _that_?” Tobirama asked coldly. Even before anyone could wonder why the silver-haired Kage asked that, a whip of water materialised, dragging the man from his seat and cutting the bandaged covering his arm. Under the bandages, they found countless Sharingan eyes peering out at the world.

* * *

Sasuke wasn’t even surprised, when suddenly, the room was full of powerful Killing Intent, as Kurama’s chakra covered Naruto in seconds. The Clan Heads seemed to have problem withstanding his Bijū brother’s chakra presence, but it was no surprise.

The Shodaime immediately formed a Snake sign... **“Hold your chakra, _Senju_.“ **Kurama snarled. **“I have no business with your village.”** (He also noticed Jiraiya, moving to a more visible spot, but as Kurama spoke, he stopped.)

Sasuke gave a look to the Shodaime and the man stopped, eyeing the Kurama-controlled Naruto warily. Every single person’s eyes in the room went wide, as they heard those words.

 **“However...“** the fox snarled, his eyes settling on Danzo. **“I have business with you, detestable _meatbag_.” **he darted closer and Danzo froze. **“You know, I never liked the Uchihas – too arrogant, that lot. And I came to detest them after Madara thought I was his personal pet, dancing how he pulled the strings...“** he growled, **“and let’s not mention the fucker, who’d wretched me from Kushina... but there’s one, just _one_ Sharingan-wielder on this sorry planet, that absolutely did not deserve my creator’s sacrifice, whom I do not hate. And you just happened to treathen that one – the one I care about.”**

Even more eyes went wide (mostly among the Clan Heads), at those words.

 **“You treathened my _Otōto_.“** Kurama snarled again, his chakra lashing out and Sasuke had backpedal and to push back the Kage, so all of them would avoid the chakra. That energy, as it was at the moment, could melt flesh from bone or perhaps even cancel Edo Tensei, which didn’t seem such a good thing at the moment. (Naruto would be upset, that the thing had been canceled, while he sat back inside his own mind, to allow Kurama some freedom.)

 **“And for that, you will pay. For no one treathens my younger siblings and walks away.”** and then he pounced.

Sasuke saw the man uncover his face – and there was his cousin’s Mangekyō, in his eye socket. But Kurama was faster.

A clawed hand (paw?) slashed across the bastard’s face, the red chakra burning the wound, as blood splashed around. Danzo cried out, but it was quickly silenced by another swipe across the man’s troath, as the vocal cords were damaged. Kurama channeled some more of his chakra and brought down his hand/paw on the man, breaking bone, as well as the floor below. The Elder’s mouth opened in a soundless scream and Kurama snarled again.

 **“May the Shinigami torment you forever.“** he spat, as his chakra covered Danzo’s body. It did a quick work – four tails woth of chakra was more enough to burn away a body, especially one with no previous exposure to such chakra.

Kurama backed away, four chakra tails waving in the air, the room full with the smell of blood and burning flesh, as well as Killing Intent. Sasuke’s eyes didn’t even twitch. The bastard deserved that. For the innocent of his Clan – because the children were not yet tainted by the Curse, nor the few civilians, who never had the Sharingan – and for Itachi. He’d killed his kin and treathened Itachi.

For a very, very long moment, there was silence as everyone stared at Kurama, waiting for him to attack once more. **“I know you like to finish your own business Indra, but I promised you and Asura something _that_ day. Or more like I’ve promised it to Ot** **ō-sama, he may or may not have heard that, but it’s beside the point.”**

Sasuke hummed. “It’s... quite alright. I would have done the same, if Otōto was in a similar situation, altough, he’s not... the vengeful sort. Never been.“ he muttered, his voice cracking at the end.

 **“No, he’s not.“** Kurama agreed, now somewhat calmer, altough Sasuke knew he would not calm down completely today. Maybe tomorrow, but certainly not today.

Sasuke sighed and allowed his eyes to morph into their higher level. He couldn’t form Sussano’o just yet, but he could summon the armour and fit it to his need. The less of the armour was present, the more he could control it, besides, he’d been practicing some Shape Manipulation, which also further enabled him to handle it. Sure, to completely shrink his chakra avatar and make actual, human-sized armour out of it, that perfectly covered his body, he would need his father’s special chakra... but it didn’t matter.

He stroked Kurama’s ear, which appeared in the shape of half transparent chakra, before he actually reached to touch Naruto’s body. “Thank you.“ he muttered softly. “Now, could you let Otōto have his body back, please?”

Kurama huffed. **“And here I thought I could stretch my limbs. It’s better since you two had redone the seal, but it’s _sooo boring_.”**

Sasuke chuckled. “Oh, what’s next? Snowing in the middle of summer? You actually _whined_. I’m sure Asura wouldn’t mind letting you out in the Forest of Death, now and then, as long as you don’t ruin everything. Becuase then we would have to _fix_ it and it’s annoying to do all the time.”

Kurama snarled. **“All proper and serious even after all this time? Now, I know why I left you to your devices, as a kit.”**

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Someone has to be the responsible one, between your penchant for destruction and Otōto’s pranks.”

**”Hey, I hadn’t destroyed anything since Senju stuck me in the seal again. Besides, as annoying as Kushina was...“**

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. “Careful fox. You’re talking about my _godmother_.”

 **“She _was_ annoying.“** he huffed. **“But, better than Mito, so I suppse... it was an improvement.”**

“Yeah, yeah. You would have liked to tamper on Madara’s body and probably wouldn’t have minded sallowing Shodaime-sama whole either. _I get it._ But, they’re still family so no more of that. Oh, and I want my brother back. I’m sure if you make him wait any more, he’s going to get whiny and just tamper down your chakra with Mokuton.”

The fox huffed. **“Why did the source of all chakra have to be a _tree_? And why did Asura figure it out what that chakra can do?”**

Before Sauske could answer, Kurama’s – Naruto’s– eyes closed. The chakra slowly retreated and as Naruto opened his eyes again, they were the usual violet. He stood up and looked at the mess Kurama had left.

“Ouch. Speak about being pissed off kitsune...”

Sasuke hummed. “Yeah.”

Naruto frowned. “ _Oh the Shinju damn it..._ now all my clothes are ruined. Aww.“ he groaned. “He should have been cleaner. The next time he makes a mess, I’m totally _not_ letting him stretch his legs.”

Sasuke hummed. “And you would just have listened to him annyoing you out of your own mind, if you didn’t let him out now, Otōto. You know what he’s like.“

Naruto laughed softly. “I know better, than anyone here, trust me.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Off with you. You’re not getting dinner, if you make a bloody mess of the kitchen.”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “Last time I checked, Nī-sama, it’s _my_ kitchen, because you can’t cook shit. So you don’t get a say in it.” and then he was gone in a swirl of leaves.

Sasuke huffed and looked at the three Senju. “Did I ever say I hated that he has a quick tongue?”

“No.“ Hashirama said. “But... if it makes you feel better, I think that’s a typical Uzumaki trait, like the red hair. Or, maybe even _more_ of a typical trait, than the red hair.”

Sasuke snorted. “Why I’m not surprised about _that_?”

“Maybe because you know him so well.“ his almost father said. “Now, how about you follow his example and go home, Sasuke? We’ll deal with this and stop at home once we’re done.”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed on the two remaining Elders, who tensed in response, at the feeling of his Killing Intent. (Good let them be wary, because he would watch them. Let them remember, that even if the Hokage were gone, they could not do as they pleased. Not anymore, useless they wanted to die as peainfuly, as the warmongering worm on the floor.) “Ah, but I still have a few _questions_...”

“And we’ll provide you with the answers.“ Tobirama countered in a measured tone. “Do not stir more of the water, young one. We will give you what you wish to know, if you let us work.”

Sasuke sighed, nodding towards the Suiton-master. “Very well.”

And then, he was gone in his own personalised _Shunshin_ – a torrent of white-blue fire.

* * *

Jiraiya’s mind still swirled with the scene, that had played out in the Council Chambers. He would have never thought, that Minato – or the Senju brothers– would let the Fox do what it did. (He had never liked Danzo, but that had been brutal. And why had the Fox called the Uchiha brat _Indra_? The name was familiar from somewhere, but he could not remember where he had heard it before...) Because it was obvious, from the way Naruto had looked at the scene, that he had completely retreated into his mind, unaware of the outside world.

He shook his head with a sigh. It’s not like he could do anything about it.

“Jiraiya-sensei.”

Jiraiya froze at that. He hadn’t been called _sensei_ in more, than a decade. There was only one person in the village, who’d called him that – his two other students had died in the war and only Minato had made it. He turned slowly, to face Minato. It was so strange, seeing him again... if not for the obvious, tell-tale signs of Edo Tensei, he would have said that his student was still as young and full or energy, as the last day he’d seen him, a few days before Naruto’s birth.

He was happy to see Minato again, yet he could not help the scratching look, that crossed his aged features. “What were you thinking Minato? You should have stopped the kid from losing control...!”

Minato glared. His glare was so icy, that it made him take a step back.

“He had not lost control. He knew what he was doing and Danzo had deserved it. As much as I respected Hiruzen, he was getting lax in his office and obviously had made the wrong decisions regarding Uchiha Itachi and the Clan, as a whole.” he hissed in a low tone.

The Sannin’s eyes went wide. That was an S-class secret, of which only the Hokage, the Elders and himself knew. Had one of the two spilled the beans to the three resurrected men? Probably – not that Jiraiya blamed them too much. After that scene in the Council Room...

Jiraiya sighed. “It was a total mess, Minato and Fugaku would not listen. Or rather, his clan council would not...”

“I don’t need to know more, than I already do. Genocide _is_ genocide, no matter the reason. You could have at least let the children and the civilians live. But _no_...“ he sighed. “Where is Itachi, Jiraiya?”

“Minato...”

“ _Where_ is the boy?”

Jiraiya winced. His former student wasn’t in a good mood. “There’s this group.“ he said quietly, “ _Akatsuki_. A bunch of S-class Missing-nin from all across the Nations. They’re led by a masked Sharingan-user, who’d helped Itachi kill the Uchihas. Itachi suspects he’s the one behind the Fox’s attack thirteen years ago. He calls himself Tobi. We sent Itachi to join undercover, so he could feed us info about them.”

Minato’s eyes went wide for a second, as if he came to a realisation, before the expression was gone. “Do you know something, Minato? Maybe something you had no chance to share that night?“ he asked. Any morsel on the masked bastard could help...

Minato shook his head. “When I asked him, he said his name was Uchiha Madara. But... I’d bet all my savings, that both Tobi and Uchiha Madara are just false names. The guy is someone else – powerful and dangerous yes... but not Madara. I mentioned my fight with him to the Shodai. He said Madara’s Mangekyō didn’t possess Space-Time jutsu. So, it was someone else. _Someone_ , who has enough skill and power to get away with calling himself the Ghost of the Uchiha.”

The toad summoner grunted. They weren’t any closer. Yet... _yet_ the guy was dangerous. More than simply dangerous, if he could control the Fox even with one eye.

“I’ll remember that.” he said. Then he looked at his student. Minato’s eyes were still as cold, as before.

“You know why I’m here.” it was not a question. The Sannin couldn’t help, but wince.

“Minato look...”

“You’re his godfather, damn it!“ he growled. “I _trusted_ you!”

The Sannin sighed. “I know and I’m sorry. Just let me expl...“

“No.” Minato cut him off in a measured tone. “I know enough from Kakashi and Naruto. I also you know made up with Naruto, but that’s only because his heart is one of mercy.”

“I know.” he muttered, looking away for a moment.

“I will not say any more on the subject Jiraiya. We all make our own decisions. But if you ever make him cry again, the way I heard from Sasuke, that you had, I promise you. I _promise you_ that I _will_ find a way back from death without Edo Tensei and then, I’ll drag you with me.”

Than, his student was gone in a flash of yellow and Jiraiya was left alone, to reflect on the mistakes he’d made. (If he ever wanted Naruto to trust him, even a bit, he had a lot of making up to do...)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for taking time to read this. Please tell me what you think.


	30. The Slug Princess (+ omake for Ch 28)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear YumiStar, the extra scene at the end is for you!

Orochimaru winced, as Kabuto changed the bandages on his wounds. The Uchiha and Minato’s spawn were strong – almost too strong for two Genin. Or Chūnin.

He looked down at the wound. It was healing very slowly – slower, than before. “Is this body already at it’s limits?“ he hissed in annoyance.

Kabuto sighed, as he secured the medical cloth. “So it would seem, Orochimaru-sama. Should I prepare another one soon?”

The Sannin grunted. “What of our little Uchiha? Would he be coming to us?“

Kabuto stopped and looked up at him, with a small shake of his head. “It would seem, that the Cursed Seal has somehow been removed from his body, if what my spies told me is correct. Considering we hadn’t seeen him activating it during his Exam, nor during the invasion, I must persume it is the truth.

The Snake Sannin froze, rage and disbelief rising to the heights of the Hokage Monument. _“WHAT?!”_ he snarled, Killing Intent radiating from him. “How had he managed to get rid of it?! Not even Jiraiya has figured out its workings yet!”

“It appears one Senju-Uzumaki Naruto is more shrewed, than your former teammate, my lord.” Kabuto answered.

 _“Damn your spawn, Namikaze!”_ the resounding scream of frustration could be heard for miles.

* * *

Naruto sighed, as he watched the three Edo Tensei Kage stop in their respective sealing circles, each creatively marked with a Kanji – _wood, water, flash_.

“Oh, before I forget!” the Shodai called, offering two scrolls to Naruto. “Naruto-kun.”

Naruto stepped closer to the founder and took them. “What are these?”

“Well, Jiraiya-san here said you want Tsunade to be the next Hokage. The small scroll is our message for her.“ he explained.

Naruto hummed and passed the small scroll to Sasuke, who immediately tucked it away. “And the bigger one?”

The Shodai’s brown eyes met him. “All my Mokuton techniques. You’re a Senju and in possession of the ability. Many may be familiar, but there were several, that I had invented. Study them and use them in the village’s defence.”

The blonde grinned. “Arigato. I will be sure to do so.”

He took a step back to stand next to Sasuke again. It was a small affiar – letting the three Kage go. Just Sasuke, Kakashi, Yamato, Jiraiya and himself. No one else was present, altough the council knew, that today was the day.

“Good luck in the future, boys.” his father said, looking both at him and Sasuke with a smile. “And take care.”

Sauske hummed, standing little ways away, next to Kakashi. “We will. It was an honour.”

Naruto saw it. His brother had always been a master at hiding his thoughts and emotions, but as time went by, he had learned to read him, like an open book. Living extra llives also helped. The thing was, that on the outside, Sasuke seemed calm and just a tiny bit detached. However, in fact, the Uchiha was just as sad to see the three men go, as he was. These past weeks realy made both of them feel safe and comfortable again. Having a full family.

But they had died once – even the fact that they were here, was partially against the laws of nature and Ninshū. The three of them staying, or getting fully resurrected (not that they could do it, as neither of them had Rin’negan) would have been even more upsetting for the balance. It could not be.

He nodded to the Nidaime too (he’ll miss his new, favourite pranking partner) and walked over to his father. He carefully crossed into the seal and hugged the older blonde close. “Aishiteru, Otō-san.”

His father hugged him back, just as tightly. “Naru-chan, what did I tell you about _that_?“ 

Naruto chuckled and burried his head even more into the white haori. “That’s not a habit you gonna break. It’s _too old_ for that.”

His father snickered and hummed. “Aishiteru, Naruto. And take care of each other, the four of you, hm? Keep an eye on Kakashi and Tenzo, okay? If they’re anything like they used to be as children, they’ll need their backs covered by you and Sasuke.“

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, sensei.“ Kakashi murmured from next to Tenzo and Jiraiya.

“Don’t worry.“ Sasuke said – and while Naruto couldn’t see him now, he could _hear_ the smirk his brother wore – “We’ll be extra careful, when babysitting our precious Jōnin-senseis.”

Naruto snickered (and even Jiraiya choked on his laugher) at the choice of words and carefully backed out of the _shikki_ of the release jutsu. He crouched down a bit farther from the others and he coaxed his chakra into the surface, to channel into the connecting seal, which would power the other three and release the trapped souls.

“Protect the village... and the world with it.“ the Shodaime said.

Sasuke stepped next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Naruto smiled. Starting this lifetime, they would forever be a united front.

“Till our last breath.“ his brother said seriously. Naruto nodded and then placed his hand where needed, channeling chakra. The various Kanji lit up, one by one with blue light and as the light reached the seperate sealing circles, it turned from blue to white, disintegrating the bodies.

There was a shockwave of chakra, which caused a blast of wind, but it was soon gone. As Naruto looked down, he found the array gone – just like his family. He sighed.

Sasuke squeezed his shoulder in silent comfort and then offered a hand to help him stand. As he stood, Naruto turned towards the remaining three shinobi, whose eyes trailed him and the spot, where the Hokage had been in equal parts.

“What now?” he asked.

After a heartbeat of silence it was Jiraiya, who answered. “Now we bring back Tsunade.”

* * *

“Are you sure you can’t come, Kakashi? Yamato?“ Sasuke asked, throwing a hopeful glance at the two, who made up his surrogate family.

Kakashi shook his head. “No. The village needs everyone here. Had Naruto been any quieter about his protests, you would be staying too, you know.”

Sasuke hummed, remembering that conversation well. Naruto had been summoned to the Hokage Office and Sasuke had gone with him, as always. The two remaining Elders and Jiraiya had been there. The Toad Sannin has expressed his desire to take Naruto out of the village, to find Tsunade – he wanted to spend some time with his godson and he believed that the presence of another Senju may be good enough to persuade Tsunade to return. When they’d been told Sasuke would stay behind, Naruto refused even to move from his spot, useless the decision was changed.

Jirayia could only stand the scowl and the look Naruto was giving him for about ten minutes, before he caved in and changed his wording. (Sasuke remembered hearing the Sannin mutter about the blonde learning too much from the Nidaime in the past weeks.) The Elders hadn’t been overly happy either, saying that every able-bodied shinobi was needed right now to help recuperate. But as Naruto’s eyes changed from violet to fox-like red, both retired shinobi gave in.

“I know. Being the Jinchūriki of Kurama also helps.” he muttered quietly.

Kakashi and Yamato chuckled at that

“Hey, Uchiha! Are you coming?“ the Sannin called. Sasuke took a deep breath to remain calm and nodded to his senseis, before turning around and heading for the gate. “Hurry up kid, Tsunade’s not going to stay in one place!”

Sasuke groaned. _‘This is going to be a long trip...‘_

* * *

“Tanzaku Gai?“ Naruto asked, as they crossed into the town – he knew for a fact, that the place was a pleasure town. Bath houses, restaurants, taverns, casinos... and one could not forget the shadier part of town either. The Red Light District.

Jiraiya hummed. “Yes. Tsunade likes her fun.”

Naruto’s violet eyes narrowed on the man. “What fun are you referring to?”

Jiraiya was quiet for a second. “You know... drinking. Gambling.”

“Is she any good at least?” Sasuke asked, wrinkling his nose.

“She has the worst luck in all of the Elemental Nations.” murmured the white-haired man, with a small frown.

Naruto growled. “Well, that explains why the Senju account has zeros. Let me guess.... if she had access to the Uzumaki one, it would be empty too, right?”

The spymaster sighed and frowned. “Yes. Luckily Mito-sama noticed Tsunade’s tendencies and after Kushina came to the village, she wrote off the account to Kushina’s name, so Tsunade had no access to that fortune. Kushina herself had only been informed of her money after she made Jōnin... but a conversation with Sarutobi-sensei... and knowing Tsunade... she was happy. Happy that the Uzumaki hadn’t gone bankrupt, while she grew up.”

Naruto groaned. “Shinju have mercy.”

As they passed the buildings their eyes wandered around. “This place is _big_.” his brother growled, “How are we going to find her?”

“Well, you usually follow the commotion and the loud swearing.” said the Sannin.

Naruto scoffed. “I can locate her. What’s her chakra nature?”

Jiraiya blinked at him. “Earth. She has about as much chakra, as me. Maybe even a bit more, considering her Senju-Uzumaki lineage.”

Naruto closed his eyes and spread his Sensory to the fullest. Many, many signatures assulted his senses then, so strongly that he took a shuddering breath. But most were civilian sized or a size, that was most common for average Chūnin and Jōnin. Sasuke and Jiraiya stood out the most, their closeness and the strenght of their chakra almost blinding, in a figurative sense...

...until he felt that chakra. Powerful like Jiraiya’s, but much firmer. Earth nature for sure, calm and controlled to the last drop. There was electicity too, energising – vitalising. Somehow, _somehow_ those two opposing natures were present in the chakra and coexisted, insted of cancelling one other out – a miracle and a feat of chakra control. It also had the faintest trace of the typical Uzumaki adamantine chakra. But nowhere near enough for the individual to form the chains. Ah, and it had that warm, serene feel, that was the general undertone for all healers.

Right next to the Senju/Uzumaki chakra he felt another one. Another medic, but this one not so perfectly controlled. This signature was weaker and had a faint warm feeling to it.

He opened his eyes and looked at Jiraiya. “I think, I found her. Larger than yours, well-controlled and a medic for sure.”

“How can you tell?” asked the Sannin, eyebrow arching.

Naruto hummed. “Medics have a certain... _serenity_ to their chakra, in a sense. Come on, let’s not waste time.”

He nodded to the man and started walking. Sasuke followed him without even uttering a sound. His brother knew well, how accurate his Sensory could be, if he knew what to look for – and he certainly had enough general information on the Sannin, to find her.

“It’s impossible to track someone so precisely.” Jiraiya murmured behind them. Naruto chose to ignore the comment. The Sannin was unaware of _who_ he had been in a different life – of what he was trully capabe of even now, despite still not having back all the power he possessed in his prime. (He hoped they would still have a few years before having to stop the lunatics... right now, they couldn’t fight off two mad Uchiha’s _and_ their grandmother.)

“Not impossible.“ Sasuke said and Naruto saw as he threw a look at his godfather. “It may be impossible for an average Sensor... but not Naruto. He’s different.”

They walked towards the chakra, which he clung onto, until they reached one of the tallest buildings in town. Not so surprisingly, it was a casino. He shared a look with Sasuke and then he sighed. “Here goes nothing.” he murmured softly

They stepped in and despite the crowd, it didn’t take long for Naruto to spot her. Now that they wre closer, her chakra felt even more powerful. He walked over to her, shoulder to shoulder with Sasuke and they stopped next to her table. A black-haired young woman sat next to her, holding a pet pig. (Who had pig for a pet? Why not a cat or a dog... or hell, some sort of bird? Why a _pig_?!)

She had long blonde hair, held in two pigtails, brown eyes, which Naruto was sure she’d inerited from Hashirama, as they were almost the same and rather large... womanly assests. She wore a grey blouse and green haori. The purple rhombus of the Byakugō was also a dead giveaway.

“Are you the Slug Princess, Tsunade of the Senju?” Naruto asked.

The woman’s brown eyes snapped up to them, her gaze slightly narrowed. Naruto could feel suspicion and curiousty from both her and the black-haired woman. “Who wants to know?“ she asked.

Sasuke was the one to answer, his tone just a bit scratching. “Uchiha Sasuke and Senju-Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha.”

The effect was instantenous. Her brown eyes narrowed even more, anger darkening her youthful features, altough Naruto suspected that was the work of a Genjutsu. He felt a thin layer of chakra cover her, from head to toe, like a second, insivisble skin.

“Who are you? You dare using my family’s name! Who are you _to dare_ using my family’s name!”she roared, jumping forward. Naruto channelled chakra into his feet to get away. He landed pressed against one of the tables, but he wasn’t overly worried.

As she swung her fist, he raised his own hand and enchanced it with chakra the same way she did and caught her punch without a blink. She froze for a second and he shoved her away, glaring. “Is it how you greet all your allies, _Namekuji-hime_?”

“We’re not _allies_ as I don’t even know who you are!” she growled back.

Naruto’s violet eyes narrowed on her. “Senju-Uzumaki Naruto. Son of Senju-Namikaze Minato, _Kiroii no Senk_ _ō_ and Konoha’s Yodaime and Uzumaki Kushina-hime, Heiress of the Uzumaki and chosen of Uzumaki Mito, known as the _Akai Shi_.” he hissed in a low tone.

“No.” she shook her head. “Impossible. I was... the child’s dead. I was told their child had _died_.”

Naruto’s eyes went wide. So... was she calling him a liar? “You abandon family and then you call me a liar?” he growled back to her.

“Their son is dead. Died from the sealing.” she repeated, angry and desperate at the same time. Naruto felt it. All her feelings – anger, desperation, grief... oh so much _grief_. He took a deep breath and drew back, before her emotions overwhelmed him.

He shared a look with Sasuke, who was now leaning against the table where the black-haired girl still stood, studying them both. His brother’s face was covered by unreadable calmness, but he gave a tiny nod. “Show her, Otōto.”

“Count the seconds how long it takes her to process it, Nī-sama.“ he countered, only half-joking.

Tsunade’s eyes –as well as the other girl’s– eyes flickered to Sasuke for a moment with a raised eyebrow, but before she could say a word, Naruto flared his chakra. The action caused her to look back at him and once her whole attention was focused, Naruto released even more of his chakra. Letting everything seep into it. She wasn’t a Sensor, but there were certain things, that if powerful enough, could be picked up by non-sensors, from a close range.

First, he allowed Kurama’s chakra to the surface, giving his body a soft, orange glow and as the malice rolled off of him, everyone in the room staggered to their feet at ran. Her eyes widened. Then, he allowed his own chakra to rise like water from a well, pushing Kurama’s chakra down. It rose and rose further and further until Sasuke smirked and that action alone was enough confirmation for the blonde to know, that it was now visible. Tsunade’s eyes were even wider and he took another breath, coaxing a bit more of his power to the surface. She staggered back, looking at him in shock.

“I believe you!” she said at last.

* * *

Tsunade did not want to believe what she heard from the blonde. No – it was _impossible_. Only because he had blonde hair, like Minato and violet eyes, that were entirely too much like her former student (and cousin) it didn’t mean what he said, was true. The ANBU agent that had found her after the Fox’s attack had said, that Kushina and her child, the child they chose to be the next vessel, had died not long after her sensei had made it back to the village, with said child and the bodies of the parents.

The blonde and the Uchiha (she could believe that; the black hair and eyes and the symbol on his clothes were unmistakable) shared a look. “Show her, Otōto.” the Uchiha said.

The blonde’s serious face didn’t change. “Count the seconds how long it takes her to process it, Nī-sama.“

Tsunade blinked. That was entirely unexpected – Uchiha didn’t get close to anyone outside of their Clan. And certainly not so close, to call someone their _brother_...

Her thought process was cut off, as the blonde’s chakra flared. She looked back and she saw an orange glow around him and the room was filled with the searing chakra of the Kyūbi from almost thirteen years ago. With the searing chakra also came a wave of Killing Intent, which sent everyone in te bar running, until only the blonde, the Uchiha, Shizune and herself remained.

And then, chakra rose – this time, it seemed to be the boy’s own, as it pushed the Fox’s back down. It reminded her of both Minato and Kushina at once – dense, yet well controlled. But, as it rose, she felt something else. A presence, a power she had not felt since she was a child. The kid kept dragging more and more chakra forward, such quanities, that the energy actually formed a visible, blazing outline around him – the usual light blue tainted by soft green... and there was it again. She’d only ever felt that around her grandfather, when he allowed his chakra free. But his chakra had been unique even by Senju/Uzumaki standards, as he had the Mokuton. An ability that had not been seen before, nor after...

 _‘Could it be...?‘_ she thought, watching the boy wide-eyed. He was thirteen at best and he already had Kage level reserves... and she wasn’t a fool. Despite how great his chaka reserves were, despite how dense... he had almost perfect control. Gods be good... that kid could be a greater medic, than she was, if only taught...

The blonde looked at him, his violet eyes burning into her very soul. Minato’s hair and face... Kushina’s eyes, the gaze holding the sharp edge, like her great-uncle’s... while his chakra felt like Kushina’s and her grandfather’s at once.

He wasn’t lying.

“I believe you!” she said sharply, the words tumbling out of her mouth clumsily. “I-I believe you...” she whispered.

Slowly, the blonde drew his chakra back and she gasped at the sudden absence of the powerful energy. Blinking to clear her clouded thoughts, she looked to the side. Shizune was wide-eyed, clutching Tonton for dear life, paler than normal.

The Uchiha was calmness personified, the small smirk that played on his lips was one of amusement, as if he knew this might happen.

“What the fuck _kid?!_ “ a familiar voice called. Tsunade’s gaze slid behind the boy –Naruto, Naruto was his name,– and she saw her teammate. What was Jiraiya doing here? “Do you want to call an entire army? How much chakra was that?”

Naruto shrugged. “She had the _nerve_ to call me a _liar_.” Naruto threw her a look, his violet eyes narrowing. Oh, that look was Tobirama oji-san just fine....

Jiraiya growled. “That does not mean you send an entire casino running and then release enough chakra so that even Konoha’s Sensor Teams can feel it! And the _Fox’s_ chakra, on top of that!”

“Oh, _quiet_ now, Sannin. This would not have happened, if she calmly listened to Otōto’s explanation and then actually stopped to think about it!“ the Uchiha growled. “But she accused him of lying and then attacked him. Call it self-defence, for it was. Be grateful no jutsu had been thrown around.”

She blinked – had... had those two really called one another brother? An Uchiha and an Uzumaki... was the world coming to an end? (Or Senju? Was Naruto – Minato, as well– really one of her own?)

She shook her head and stood up, trying to gather her thoughts. As she did so, her brown eyes landed on the blonde, who’s chakra was so eerily similar to her grandfather’s. “You better explain and do it fast.”

To her surprise, the blonde matched her gaze without a twitch. He wasn’t intimidated at all. “You know, trying to intimidate me won’t work. The past week I stared down Otō-san, Tobirama Jiji and Hashirama Oji-san. Your chakra presence is nothing, compared to theirs.”

Her eyes went wide. “W-what did you just say?”

The blonde smirked at her, as if he’d just hit the jackpot of his life. “Sit down Oba-san and we will explain.”

* * *

**~ OMAKE~**

Senju Tobirama and the Uchiha Paint War

_Tobirama could not help it. He just had to do it._

_He had a feeling his grandson may not like this, considering the Uchiha boy was almost like a second son to him, but Tobirama could not help it. Now that he knew from where the two clans’ feud stemmed, his wiev was a bit different, specifically, with the Uchiha in the village being very much aware of the Curse and actively working to avoid it._

_It was commendable. And the boy was strong for his age and he could tell, that both of the reincarnates may just exceed the power-limits of their previous life. If so, those two would be literal gods in human bodies, more than Hashirama and Madara ever were._

_However, even this revelation and his newfound respect for the Izuna-lookalike was not enough to stop him. Years and years of habit was not going to be broken in a few days._

_So, he made his way to the nearest shop and using some of the money from the Uzumaki account (he could not believe it, that the Senju, one of the wealthiest and oldest Clan, were totally broke because of his grandniece’s bad habits, **he was so going to strangle Hashirama!** ). Of course, with the money being in Naruto’s hand, he had to ask his great-grandson, but luckily, the blonde had agreed easily enough._

_He grabbed the paint needed and carried it to the counter. The man blinked at him, before snapping out of his shock as realisation dawned on his face. He quickly bowed and then set to work. Tobirama gave him the needed money and started his treck back to the Namikaze house. Considering that they would not be around for too long, he had found it pointless to place a Hirashin mark in the house – but perhaps he could use the one his grandson had left?_

_He closed his eyes and focused his Sensory in the general area of the residence... and there. The marker stood out, like a bonfire in the dark of night. He focused on it even more and then flared his chakra. The sheer speed of the technique was exhaliriating. He had almost forogtten, how much he liked his jutsu, despite using it only in dire situations and sometimes, so he got tactical advantage._

_The next minute, he found himself inside the house, right in the room, where his great-grandson was sitting kekkufuza, obviously meditating. However, as he landed in the room, his violet eyes opened and he quirked an eyebrow. “Ojī-san?“_

_Tobirama held up the two containers of paint and some extra meterials he’d gotten. “How about a prank, Naruto-kun? Namely, I would introduce you my personal paint war tactics...”_

_The sharp glint in the violet eyes was all the answer Tobirama needed._

**_~.~.~.~ scene break ~.~.~.~_ **

_Naruto was a genius, Tobirama had to addmit. A true_ Uzumaki _genius, he thought, as he poured the paint into the seals and the small, intricate patterns sallowed it all up without missing a drop._

_“And I’ll toss this into the water.“ Naruto said, holding up the tiny package of glitter._

_“Won’t he notice?”_

_Naruto waved a hand. “Nah, he’s usually half-asleep whenever he deals with clothes.”_

_When Tobirama was done filling the seals with paint, he checked the trigger mechainsm of the seals one last time. When he was satisfied, he gave the tags to the blonde with a grin. “Here they are. Do you know when can we expect a result?”_

_The Jinchūriki snickered. “In an hour, maybe two.”_

_Tobirama hummed. It wasn’t that long – and he was a patient man anyway. And this, this would be worth it._

**_~.~.~.~ scene break ~.~.~.~_ **

_Sasuke sighed as he carried the basket of freshly cleaned clothes out. The line was hung between the two great trees at the back of the yard, where the sun often shined. The clothes got dried easily. Sometimes, like now, all their training clothes and gear would get piled up so badly, that he had to seperate the things in two different groups to wash._

_He’d already washed Naruto’s yesterday and finally he had the time to do his own. (Seriously, sometimes he wished to tell his brother, that he should wash his own clothes, but whenever that came to mind, he resolutely focused on something else. His brother’s cooking was heavenly and if extra laundry was the price for that food, so be it.The times when the_ _Ōtsutsuki were considered the unpararelled royalty of the shinobi world – heck, both their grandmother and father were regarded as gods!–, which was just taking form, were long gone. Doing housework wasn’t beneath him.)_

 _He placed down the basket next to him and methodically, one by one, he hung his clothes, careful to leave the least possible wrinkles. He refused to wear wrinkly clothes, which looked like they had been chewn over by Kashi-sensei’s dog summons. He still had style and certain expectations, thank you very much. He may no longer be an_ _Ōtsutsuki in name, only in soul, but he had his standards and only because a few thousands of years had passed, he would not be giving those standards up._

_When he was done, he gave a small sigh and looked at the clothes satisfied. Smelling clean and fresh, completely spotless..._

_... only it was’t._

_He saw the tiny glop of pink on his white vest and his eyes narrowed. He took a step back to allow more light onto the clothes..._

_...and as the light hit them, he saw the barely visible outline of seals, which slowly disappeared from the fabric. And as the seals disappeared, their contents were were released – right onto his clothes. He watched with no small amount of horror as the tiny spots of pink grew and grew and spread, on black, grey and ... oh, kami have mercy! **Not** on the **white**!_

_The process didn’t take more, than a minute, maybe two. The seals had released all the pain inside, colouring all his freshly washed clothing to various shades of pink, from neon pink to soft sakura pink and then almost red. And the glitter all over EVERYTHING... oh, all the gods above! THAT EVIL GLITTER!_

_Horrifying. Horrifynig sight – if he didn’t already have a Mangekyō Sharingan, he was sure the sight before him would have been enough to trigger it’s activation._

_He heard snickering from behind his back and it soon turned into loud, echoing belly laughter. Slowly, very slowly – Sasuke turned around and found Naruto and the Nidaime. Both of them were laughing so hard, that tears were streaming down their faces, needing the support of the house’s wall to stay upwards._

_“You’re a genius, Naruto-kun. Those seals... My blood indeed.“ the Nidai said, not even trying to keep up his usually stoic appearance. His dark red eyes were glinting with unrestained amusement._

_“The pink paint was your idea, Oji-san.” Naruto breathed between laughs._

_Sasuke saw red. He snarled._

_“Get over here Senju! So I can paint your heads pink too!” he roared angrily, as a blast of chakra left his body, Sharingan whirling into action._

_“Uh oh, we better go. Fast!” Naruto said. Sasuke lept forwards, pushing chakra into his feet and cracking the ground in the process. He’s going to get them for that..._

_Sadly, the Nidaime was even faster, than he was. The Suiton master wrapped a protective arm around Naruto and then, they were gone in a flash. (Oh, how much he detested the Hirashin!)_

_He growled, skidding to a halt next to the house. He huffed and looked sorrowfully at the now desecrated, pink/red pieces of clothing. He would have to..._

_... a bird cried above and Sasuke watched in frozen horror, as the whiteish-black **animal waste** landed on his kimono. The most comfortable, homey kimono he owned. (The one, which was now neon pink.)_

_Oh, forget washing. He’ll just burn every single one._

**_“DAMN YOU, SENJU!!“_ ** _he roared in frustration, uncaring of the fact that quite possibly the entire village heard him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave comments and share your opinion :3


	31. Heirs of the Will of Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Shaolin– khm, excuse me, Sannin showdown...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I've just been addmitted into University and starting tomorrow our semester is on. This means I will greatly focus on my studies. However, by no means will I abbandon this... It just means, that most of my updates will be on Friday/weekends.
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy the chapter :3

_(...) 'Cause one voice is enough,  
To make sleeping giants wake up.  
To make armies put their hands up.  
And watch whole nations stand up._

_It's one belief, one spark,  
One faith and one restart. (...)_

**_– Untravelled Road_ ** _BY Thousand Foot Krutch_

Naruto sighed, slipping into a seat opposite from the female Sannin. Sasuke sat next to him and Jiraiya lingered behind them, like some form of protector – not that they needed protecting. They could do it for themselves and each other. In the worst of cases, Naruto would let Kurama do the protecting...

“So, care to explain?“

Naruto hummed. “A traitor tried rigging my Graduation months ago and he told me to steal the Forbidden Scroll. I knew the Sandaime would be watching, so I thought it would be a nice way to reveal him. One of my senseis from the Academy, the one who had been nice, or at least professional over the years and hadn’t tried sabotaging me for the Fox... he got involved. Found me outside and protected me – got a nasty wound on his back. I lost my cool and then... the next thing I know the trees around me are blooming from my chakra.“ her eyes went wide in shock, but he continoued. “I restained him with roots and gave the scroll back to Sandaime-sama. During the checkup that night I told the Hokage that I knew, who my parents were, we only didn’t know which of them had Senju blood. After a test, he told us it was Otō-san and that he was the grandson of a certain Suiton master. And... here we are. Our recent Chūnin Exam Finals went down the drain when your snake-faced former teammate orchestered an invasion with Suna. Sasuke and I stopped the Ichibi Jinchūriki, Gaara from losing it and went to help the Sandaime. He fought the snake and we dealt with the family. Orochi-teme resturrected the three of them to ensure Konoha’s destruction. We broke his control over them, so they helped protect the village. They spent the past week or so in Konoha, helping me and Sasuke train. And now that they’re gone, here we are.”

Her eyes were wide – very, _very_ wide in Naruto’s opinion. The disbelief, that was coming from her was so strong, that Naruto thought she would call bullshit on his words.

But then, she just scowled and shook her head. “And what do I have to do with this?”

“We need a new Kage, of course.“ Sasuke said calmly. “The Elders want you to take the mantle of Godaime, seeing that so far, the past three Senju who’d led the village ensured its survival and despite certain dire circumstances during their reign, they also brought relative prosperity.”

Tsunade scowled and glared at them. “And everyone, whom I loved and had touched that accursed hat – or even thought about taking it, – had died. I will not take it.”

Sasuke scowled. “The stability of the village hangs on this – we need a leader. Who better, than a Senju, related to three past Kages and student of the one, who _wasn’t_ a Senju?”

“And what would you know about that, kid? You an _Uchiha_... no members of your family ever trully sacrficing anything for Konoha. The last one, who was Kage level, had in fact tried to destroy it...“ her words were cut off by powerful Killing Intent radiating from both of them.

“There were those, who _had not fallen_.“ Sasuke hissed, his eyes flashing with the Sharingan. “A few, but there were members of my Clan, who had not given in to the Curse of Hatered. Some, who’d overcome it and those, _those_ people were the greatest. Uchiha _fucking_ Madara can’t hold a candle to them – a selfish madman, who tried to destroy what he’d created, will never be like the few, who understood, that the Sharingan does not make us invincible. And that there is more to the world, than the Clan or some sort of revenge for petty things.”

“And you...“ Naruto growled, “if I did not know any better, I would say it was you, who had fallen to that infamous Curse. Senju and Uzumaki stick together – we protect our own trough thick and thin, We fight for what we believe in. For what is _right_. Because if _we_ don’t, then who will? The past Kage of the village stood tall and proud, protecting what they believed in. Protecting their dream of a safer future. Protecting their comardes and friends, – no, their _family_. For the village is a family and as long as one has breath in their body, we protect one another. That is what Hashirama oji-san called so catchily, the Hi no Ishi.”

“I lamented the fall of my kin.“ Sasuke muttered. “I thought no one ever will be so _bitter_... such a _coward_ , to turn their back to the village, to turn twist the ideals of peace, that were rooted in the days of the Rikudō Sennin, as the Uchiha had. But it seems, the world we and the Hokage had dreamt of, is indeed out of reach, if a _Senju_ like you would rather be a coward and embrace the Curse, instead of fighting and taking responsibility.”

Sasuke glared at her one last time and stood up. “Come now, Otōto. Obviously the faith her family has placed in her was in vain. If my kin were drowned in shame for what had been going on for so long... then she is the only – and greatest– stain on the unbreakable will of your own Clans. Uchiha, Senju, Uzumaki. We don’t leave our own behind. She did just _that_ , she’s not worth your time and certainly not your tears.“

Naruto’s breath hitched, as he remembered crying after Jiraiya appeared. He remembered wondering, if there was anyone out here, who cared... He scowled at her and then slammed the scroll Hashirama had given him on the table.

“My question is, Tsunade-hime... what are _you_? A Senju-Uzumaki, who stands up for her blood and for what is right or are you perhaps a weak-willed, nameless civilian, who leaves others behind to save her own skin?“ he stood up. “Think about it, Oba-san. Think and decide. Don’t think you’re the only one who’s lost loved ones – we _all_ know what it’s like to lose people. People you love more, than the world. People, for whom you would burn the world, if it meant their happiness.“ he said, gesturing at Sasuke, Jiraiya and himself.

“We all know what it’s like to be _alone_.“ Sasuke said, his tone cracking a bit. “To blame yourself – or perhaps, blame someone, because blaming someone is always _easier_ ,– for what happened and dwell on what-ifs. But the past cannot be changed. The hurt, the blood and the shadows will always linger. The question is... are you strong enough to stand up, say sorry and start anew?”

“Are you strong enough, that in starting anew, you’ll do your best to honor their legacy and memory?” he asked a last.

He waited a little, but the woman didn’t answer. He sighed. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen. All of them who remain, a shame on the Rikudō and on the Sennin’s dream of peace. We, who were trusted the world – we are the ones to tear it apart. But how can we hold it together, when our families are traitors and cowards or had been spat on in death?”

Shaking his head, the blonde headed towards the door, Sasuke shuffling next to him quietly. Despite what they’d heard from the Hokages about Tsunade, they’d _hoped_ she’d changed, just bit towards the better. That she would be responsible and worthy enough to take up the hat and govern the village, until Naruto himself was old enough to take over. (Because, lunatic Uchihas and vengeful, non-human grandmothers aside, the blonde _did_ want to be Hokage.)

Alas, the love of the Senju and the fierceness of the Uzumaki had long died out from her. She didn’t even have a spark of the _Hi no Ishi_ , much less a burning inferno bright and powerful enough to protect and guide Konoha.

* * *

Jiraiya sat by the table of the hotel they decided to spend the night in. They were having dinner – well, the boys were eating. He was too busy thinking about what they said to Tsunade, to actually eat. The food was good, but his thoughts were all over the place, so he couldn’t focus.

Just... just what were those two made of? They surely didn’t act, like children – or even young shinobi– their age. Calm, reasonable, noble, focused... and wise. _Wise_ beyond their years, as if they were speaking from their own experiences. Of course, he knew both boys had a _less_ than ideal start... but that didn’t explain their mindset. (In fact, it was the way they’d started off, that made it even more astounishing. They had not been crushed and consumed by the loneliness and darkness, that lingered around them. In fact, perhaps, whenever one of them was starting to fall, the other would pull them out and they would be all the stronger for it.)

They were, Jiraiya thought softly, the students his sensei would have deserved. Orochimaru has gone mad with his pursuit of power and immortality. And Tsunade and himself were far from reasonable or responsible after the Kyūbi attack. These two on the other hand...

“We should train a bit, tomorrow.“ he said at last, to break the thick silence, that has settled around them.

The boys looked at him with raised eyebrows. “You gave Tsunade things to think about. She would either think them trough and come to us... or she would just run. You two did more, than I could have. From now on, it’s her decsion and regardless of her choice, you won’t be at fault.”

Naruto gave a small scowl. “Not that we’d take the responsiblity and consequences of a coward’s choices.”

“He’s right.“ Sasuke said, his face calmer, but Jiraiya could see the underlying steel. “If she says no, she will be a Missing-nin and we all know it. We didn’t tell that to her, but she’s smart enough to know it.”

The Sannin barely supressed a tired sigh. _When_ had these two grown up enough to put even him or Tsunade to shame, when it came to responsibilities and mindset? He felt like instead of teaching them – he couldn’t just teach Naruto, the Uchiha would know anyway, so he was kind of involuntarily teaching both, not that there was much to _teach_ – _they were teaching him_.

Teaching him about a side of the shinobi life, about the world, which he had not known before. And maybe... just maybe, he would listen. After all, they didn’t say anything idiotic, since he’d met them. He just hoped Tsunade would make the right choice as well.

 _‘Minato, it seems your son lives up to those high standars set in front of him, even exceeds them. And Sasuke... he’s right there with Naruto every step of the way. He’s broken his curse and now they walk side by side. It seems you and the Senju brothers have left the village in the best of hands. Kushina would be proud of them both, that’s for sure.‘_ he thought.

* * *

“Hello, Tsssunade. Long time no sssee.”

Tsunade froze at the words hissed behind her back. There was only one person...She turned to face her former teammate, with a glare. She was in no mood to deal with him – not after what the blonde and the Uchiha rubbed in her face. (She hadn’t left her family. _They_ had left _her_ , they died while she was alive – she had been left behind, _right_?)

“What do you want Orochimaru?“ she demanded coldly.

“Well, you ssee... I had a nasty battle and I need sssome healing. Who better, than the bessst medic – my old teammate?”

As he darted closer, she noticed, that his arms were missing. Whatever Sabutobi-sensei had done, had been a blow to him. “And why would I help a twisted soul, like you?“ she asked.

His yellow eyes flashed. “Because I can give you back, what you’ve losst, Tsunade. I can bring back your family, ssso you won’t be alone.”

Her eyes narrowed, recalling what Naruto had said about Orochimaru using her uncle’s twisted jutsu to bring back the dead... to use them, those who built the village, to destroy it. It left a bitter taste in her mouth. But fighting Orochimaru wasn’t a good idea – not here, in town. She may have strayed from the path her family had hoped she would follow, but she was still a medic. Preserving innocent lives was still a priority and she could very well avoid fighting him now and possibly ruining the place.

“Well? What do you ssay?”

“I could see Dan again?“ she asked in a quiet tone. It had been so long ago... so long, that she almost forgot what it was like, to have him by her side. To be wrapped in his embrace.

Orochimaru smiled (altough she could see it was far from genuine,) and nodded. “If that is your wish, yess.”

_We fight for what we believe in. For what is **right**. Because if we don’t, then who will? The past Kage of the village stood tall and proud, protecting what they believed in. _

Naruto’s words echoed in her head and they cut like her uncle’s Raijin no Ken. Precise and shockingly painful.

“Give me a day to think on it.”

Orochimaru frowned a bit, but then nodded. “Be by the forest tomorrow midday... and remember. The reward for helping me isss being reunited with your family.”

She watched him go, rooted to her spot – angered, upset and numb all the same. What was she to do now? Jiraiya would come hounding her soon too. Perhaps she could leave beforehand?

“Tsunade-sama...“ Shizune called, her voice qivering a bit. She threw one last dark glace at the spot, where the snake summoner stood, just minutes ago.

“Pack everything, Shizune. We’re leaving this place as soon, as possible.“ she said, heading towards the casino, where their room was. Still, as she stode away, more angry and saddened than anything – angry at Orochimaru, at Jiraiya, at her family...– the words came back again. Sharp and powerful, in a way she only ever remembered her grandfather’s words to be.

_We fight for what we believe in. For what is **right**. Because if we don’t, then who will? The past Kage of the village stood tall and proud, protecting what they believed in. _

* * *

When Naruto woke, Sauske was already getting dressed. (Unlike at home, he couldn’t sleep here. The knowledge, that they were out of Konoha, set him on edge, making his mind more awake, despite the early hour.)

They’d decided to share a room, as it was a more coin friendly solution. Not that either of them were short on money, with Sasuke having all the Uchiha fortune and him, the Uzumaki account, as well as his father’s seperate one. But still – best think over about what needed to be paid and what could be used to cut their expenses.

“Morning, Otōto. Shall we go down and eat something?“

He flashed his brother a grin. “Sure, Nī-sama. Just give me a minute.”

He climbed from under his covers too and hurriedly dressed, checking twice to have his utility belt and weapons. Satisfied, they stepped out onto the corridor. Naruto knocked on the door next to theirs, knowing that it had been Jiraiya’s. When he opened the door, they found a girl few years older then them, already cleaning.

“Good morning.“ Naruto greeted, gaining her attention.

The girl stopped in her chore and looked up. “Good morning. How may I help?”

“This room was rented by a tall man with dark eyes and long, white hair. He’s our companion. Do you know where he may be?” Sasuke asked.

She nodded. “Yes. I’ve seen him leave a few hours ago. He seemed to be in a hurry.”

Naruto’s eyebrows knitted together. “Did you, by chance, see where he went? Or did he perhaps mention something?”

“He was hurrying towards the _Red Lotus Bathhouse_ , I think... You leave the building and take a turn to the left and then, when you reach the crossroad, you take a right turn. That road will take you to the Bathhouses. The one you’re looking for is the biggest one in town.“

Naruto shared an irrate look with Sasuke. **“Speak about the man being a pervert.“** Kurama rumbled into their minds, **“To me it seems, he’s even more perverted, than he was, when Kushina and Minato were alive.”**

Naruto smiled at the girl and nodded. “Thank you for the information. Have a nice day.”

They left the place in a hurry, following the girl’s instructions, while Naruto’s senses were spread wide, trying to spot anything familiar. Halfway there, Naruto stopped, freezing on the spot like a hound, which caught the scent.

“Sasuke. The snake’s in town. And my gambling addict of an aunt seems to be there, as well.”

“To hell with that pervert. The other two are more important right now.” his brother said, his Sharingan spinning to life in an instant.

“Agreed.” he said as they sped off towards the signatures.

* * *

As it appeared, the Sannin had been faster, than they were, Naruto noted, as they skidded to a halt on the edge of the clearing. Orochimaru and Kabuto were already fighting Jiraiya and Tsunade, while Shizune lingered to the side, watching in worry. Without a word, the two Genin hurried over to the medic apprentince.

“Shizune-san, what’s going on?“ Naruto asked urgently, half his gaze on the earth-shattering fight.

“Orochimaru approached us after you left and Tsunade-sama wanted to leave, before either of you caught up. Orochimaru expected it and intercepted us and I think Jiraiya-sama had seen us or Orchimaru, so he followed.”

Sasuke cursed colorfully and then, they turned to watch the fight. Even they understood, that this was as much between enemies, as much it was between former teammates. And everything looked just fine, until Tsunade got wounded, colouring Kabuto’s kunai red.

“Oh, no!” Shizune gasped in worry, her black eyes widening.

“What now?“ Sasuke asked, muscles tense.

“Tsunade-sama... she has hemophobia.“ Shizune answered.

Naruto groaned. “Are you serious?! She’s a Shinju fucking _medic_!” Shizune nodded, her eyes flashing at his sharp tone. “Oh, Otō-sama give me strenght not to strangle my own kin...” he murmured.

He shared a look with Sasuke and both of them leapt into the fight. Naruto was just fast enough to catch Kabuto’s fist flying towards the frozen Tsuande. His violet eyes narrowed on the silver-haired traitor.

“Take your filthy hands _off_ of my family, fucker.” he snarled.

 **“Shiroi Honō: Yamakaji!”** (White Flames: Wildfire) Sasuke called, breathing out a stream of white fire. Knowing the strenght of the flames, he brached himself... but his brother had perfect aim. The flames ghosted past him and Tsunade, the heat searing.

“W-what are you doing here?“ Tsunade asked in shock. “Leave you two or they’ll take you to splinters.”

Naruto snorted, throwing her a look. “No, they won’t. Now? Will you stand up and fight? Or will you let them win? Let your _fears_ win?”

The rest he wanted to say was cut off, as he saw Kabuto form chakra scalpels around his hands. One even scraped Sasuke, drawing blood. Naruto leapt forwards and luckily for him, the silver-haired man was right on the ground. “I told you to _leave my family alone_!” he roared, slamming his fist onto the ground, sending the other flying, as the earth ruptured under the blow.

Kabuto cursed and performed a _Kawarimi_ , however, sadly for him Sasuke was already waiting for him with his tantō drawn. Kabuto blocked the weapon with his own, clashing a few times with Sasuke, forcing the Uchiha back. Naruto’s eyes narrowed and chakra chains shot from his back to bind the silver haired man, but Kabuto managed to evade them and started retreating.

Naruto paused, noticing the lull in the fight, as Orochimaru and his disciple put some extra distance between them. Tsunade was still in shock, unmoved from her spot.

“How about we finish thisss fast?“ Orochimaru hissed, running trough handsigns at a blinding speed. Still, Sasuke managed to cathch them and soon, all four of them were going trough the same signs. Even their hands touched the ground together.

**“Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Manda!”**

**“Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Gambabunta!”** the two former teammates cried together.

 **“Kuchiyose: Ginhidzume!“** Naruto called.

 **“Kuchiyose: Kibagatatsuki!”** Sasuke cried.

The four plumes of smoke were so great, that they covered the entire clearing for a moment before it cleared to reveal four gargantuan creatures. An orange toad, a purple snake, a grey-and-cream stag and a white-and-blue wolf with great fangs.

“What the fuck?!” Orochimaru called, looking at the two summons he had never seen before. “What are you _two_?! Freaks of nature?!”

Naruto smiled, knowing what would come. _‘Three, two...‘_ he counted gleefully.

 **“What did you just _say_ you mortal scum?”** thundered Kibagatatsuki. **“What did you _dare_ calling my Summoner and his brother?!”**

Naruto laughed, bowing his head to the great wolf. “A pleasure to see you once more, Kibagatatsuki-sama. This time in more favourable circumstances.”

The wolf nodded back and then Naruto flared his chakra, his hands flashing trough two handsigns in a blink. **“Mokuton: Mokusei-jū no Yoroi.”** (Wood Release: Wooden Beast Armour)

Wood grew from the ground, shocking the three Sannin (Tsunade the most, as she had never again expected to see the ability). And then it wrapped around Ginhidzume, forming a perfect armour. “And now, you’re going down, _freak_!” Naruto called, as his summon leapt forth to tackle Manda.

The two rolled and struggled for a moment, the snake having hard time in grabbing hold of the stag, due to his sharp antlers and the sturdy armour wasn’t helping much either. Seeing that blinting his opponent was no use, Manda tried wrapping around the stag, only for Kibagatatsuki to catch his tail and fling him at Gambabunta. Gambabunta leapt onto the snake, almost crushing him, but still, Manda burried himself in the ground, disappearing from sight.

Not wanting to give the enemy any advantage at all, Ginhidzume stomped the ground and scarred it with his antlers, the released chakra breaking the ground, revealing the snake. Summon and summoner leapt right towards Sasuke. However Jiraiya and Gambabunta interfered.

 **“Katon: Gamayu Endan!”** (Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet)

Orochimaru escaped with a Kawarimi. However, the flames caught Manda and then the four watched with some satisfacion at the great snake shed its skin to escape. Then, before anyone had the chance to properly recover, Tsunade leapt right at Orochimaru, punching him in the face. Naruto looked down at his summon.

“Ginhidzume-sama, would you mind lending me some chakra? I’m afraid, even with Kurama here I’m not a strong, as I used to be.”

 **“Not at all, Asura-sama.”** the stag answered calmly and Naruto’s breath hitched, as he felt the link forming between them

Naruto shared a look with Sasuke, as he felt his Summon’s chakra connect with his own. By the looks of it his brother was borrowing some chakra from his own partner, not that it was a surprise. He waited for Sasuke to go trough his handsigns. They released the techniques together, aimed towards Manda and Orochimaru. (Tsunade could see him, so he hoped the medic would have the presence of mind to get away, when the move was close.)

 **“Kyōryoku: Shakuton: Asahi!”** (Cooperation: Scorch Release: Rising Sun) they annoiunced together.

The usually red-orange flames were coloured into bluish-red. The wide stream hit Manda and the snake hissed before disappearing in a plume of smoke. Then, they saw as Tsunade puched Orochimaru in the face, sending the black-hired man flying.

Naruto groaned, looking at his summon, as he dropped the wood encasing the magnificent stag. “Arigato. You may return home, Ginhidzume-sama.”

The animal looked at him with a crytical eye, probably studying him. **“Stay out of trouble for now, young one. You are quiet exhausted.“**

Naruto hummed, as he jumped down from his head. “Will do.” then, the stag was gone and Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. Further away, Tsunade and Jiraiya were still struggling with Orochimaru. Naruto staggered over to Sasuke and they watched the fight from a safe distance, trying to catch their breath.

After a particularly nasty punch to the face, the Snake Sannin let loose a stream of curses at his former teammates, before disappearing with his companion in tow.

“Now, one problem less... at least, for now.” Sasuke grunted. Naruto threw his hand around him to support his brother and Sasuke did the same.

“Yeah, for now.“ he agreed, as they walked over to the two remaining Sannin and Shizune.

Tsunade looked at them – at him – in shock. “Wh-why didn’t you stay away? You could have died! Reckless brats!”

Naruto shared a look with Sasuke and then they smiled. “Why? Easy, _Senju_.“ Sasuke said, his tone lilting sharply as he spoke the Clan name, which caused her to narrow her eyes. “A wise man once said, that those of Konoha – civilian, shinobi, children, adults and old – are all a family and family protect one another. And that together we could do a lot of things, as long as that family could count on the support of others.”

“And...“ Naruto’s eyes narrowed on her, “you may not wiev them as your family, but no one can escape their ancestry. You are part of that family, like it or not – the _Senju_ were one of the pillars of that society. Pillars of that family, who support one another, trough thick and thin. While I’m not happy you’re spitting on Jiji’s and Oji-san’s legacy... I can understand, that grief, disappointment and anger can drive even the strongest to the breaking point.”

“You just have to decide wanting to get away from that fracture in your life – the dark. It’s a question of decision and as long as you believe – as long as you have even _one_ person beliving in you – then... you can do it. To start again and do it _better_.”

Tsunade looked at them with wide eyes, her mouth parted in shock. She looked as if she saw a ghost. After a long moment, she walked closer, studying them immensely. “You know... you two are like them. Just as _they_ were, when I was a kid.” she said, her voice a mix of nostalgia, shock and grief.

“Like who?” Naruto asked, arching an eyebrow, fighting to stay conscious.

“Like Hashirama-jiji and Madara.” she whispered.

Sasuke snorted. “I’m _nothing_ like the _madman_ , who enslaved a free being, just to use it, as a weapon.”

Tsunade shook her head, understanding the veiled message. “There _was_ a time, when Madara was not mad or hateful. There was a time, when he wasn’t so bitter. There was a time, when... I remember that Obā-san said, that sometimes, it was like they were more brothers, than Jiji and Oji-san. You two are like that. It’s like seeing them again, before Madara was consumed by the Curse... altough my memories of that time are brief.”

Naruto hummed. “We’re trying to do better, than they had, Oba-san. We’re trying to avoid the mistakes they’d made.“

“And you’re ding it just right. The Will of Fire is strong in you two. They... they made the right decision, trusting you. And...“ she reached to her neck and untied her necklace and Shizune gasped. “I trust you two, as well. You... you reminded me, what it means to hold the Will of Fire and I trust you, like they had.“ she slipped her hands around Naruto’s neck and tied it. As she pulled her hands away, the bluish-green crystal fell onto the blonde’s chest.

Naruto’s eyes went wide, as he felt the crystal’s power. _‘That... that’s a chakra amplifying crystal! I thought all of these had been gone for ages?‘_ His gaze snapped to Tsunade in shock. “W-what...?“

“That was Hashirama-jiji’s. It helped protect him and our family, or so, he claimed. Now... now I give it to you, Naruto. You have his spirit, you know. That fire. Not only his Mokuton, but his fire, too. May it guide and protect you in the future, as it had protected him.”

Naruto grinned at her. “Arigato, Oba-san.” he murmured. However, before anything else could be said, Sasuke passed out, causing the blonde to panic.

 _“N_ _ī-sama!“_ he flailed for a moment and then knelt down, moulding his chakra to help his brother... only for all the chakra usage and exhaustion to catch up to him as well. The green medical chakra faded from his hands and he passed out cold, right next to Sasuke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, when Naruto says "Otō-sama give me strenght..." he twist the common saying.... since the Sennin is a sort of god, I would say the shinobi use his title in their daily speeches too, in a not-so-favourable way too, like how Kakashi said "Sage´s beard" a few chapters earlier.  
> So, the saying would go like "Sennin give me strenght...", but for obvious reasons, Naruto/Sasuke would switch off the title, when in situations like that.
> 
> Ginhidzume roughly means "silver hoof" and he is the Boss of the Deer Clan.  
> Kibagatsuki roughly translates to "fang-shaped moon" or "fang moon" and he is the head of the Wolves. Both are the same size as Gambabunta/Manda/Katsuyu.
> 
> Hope you enyojed reading. Please leave comments and tell me what you think :3


	32. Promotions

Sasuke woke with a massive headache. His body felt like stone and even breathing seemed to be exhausting. Despite just waking up, his eyelids were already dropping and he was fighting sleep again...

“Ah, no. You don’t sleep just yet. Eat, if you’re awake anyway.“ a calm, kind yet stern female voice instructed and he felt a hand wrapping around his body. He tensed, his chakra surging forwards in a protective wave, despite his exhaustion... “ _Uchiha-san_ , please. I just wish to help.”

Sasuke blinked and tried focusing. It was a young, black-haired woman, with black eyes. If Sasuke didn’t know any better, he would have said she was an Uchiha – her colouring passed for one. Then, as she helped him sit up, his back pressed against the wall, with a pillow in-between, he recognised her.

Shizune. Senju Tsunade’s student.

“Here, eat.“ she said, offering a small blow of rice. Sasuke took it without question and started nibling at the food. He knew that if this was a chakra exhaustion – and oh, it was, how _embarrassing_! – than he would need to recover his strengt. Which meant proper meals, enough water and a lot of sleep. And no training for a few days, for sure.

“Where are we?“ he asked, after sallowing some of the food. Even his voice sounded strained and tired. (Why? Why was he as defenceless, as an Academy student, compared to what he had been capable of? Carwing valleys... using Susanno’o for days and now... now a single jutsu and Summoning his Boss partner had been enough to deplet his chakra, so that he needed the wolf’s help to pull off that collaboration.)

True, despite their injuries being healed, neither him nor Naruto have taken a real break between the Invasion and this trip. After all, they had trained pretty hard with the Hokage around and they may or may not have played down their injuries and exhaustion in front of Hashirama, so the older Senju wouldn’t notice...

 _‘It was a stupid idea.‘_ he decided at last, with a mental sigh. _‘We should just have addmitted how strained our bodies were, instead of playing it down.‘_

“Still in Tanzaku Gai.“ she said. “We decided to let you two recover somewhat, before heading back to the village.”

“Otōto?“ he asked, his eyes flickering to the motionless form of his brother.

“He’s fine, just tired like you. He woke and ate hours ago, but it’s expected. He heals faster, than normal people.”

Sasuke grunted. “Stupid Senju-Uzumaki vitality. Stupid nine-tailed furbutt.“ he muttered under his breath. “Unfair.”

Shizune snickered softly, but she didn’t comment, so he finished his food in sillence and as fast, as it was possible, while still keeping his good manners. When he was done, he gave the bowl back to the woman and slipped under the covers again. “Next time you wake up, maybe we can set off for Konoha.” she remarked quietly.

The comment eased his mind and he slipped into a dreamless slumber, the warm food settling comfortably in his stomach.

* * *

The journey back to the village was spent in tense silence. Naruto hated it, but he didn’t feel like breaking it either. Tsunade’s burning gaze was heavy, it was as if the Sannin wanted to say something, yet held it back. Naruto had a very good idea, what she wanted to say – she wanted to ask how it was, that he had the Mokuton again, when she (or her father), who was the man’s direct descendant didn’t. She probably also wanted to ask about his fighting style, so much like her own, yet different. She probably – also wanted to ask about the summons, like everyone. Jiraiya had tried asking them about the contracts too, several times in fact, but they had purposefully left the man in the dark.

Kakashi and Yamato knowing –finding out–, was inevitable. They were a team. Telling the Sannin could be easily and comfortably avoided.

On the outside, it was tense silence. On the inside, the three brothers were having a conversation and the boys were trying hard to keep it to themselves.

**“Her face... her face was priceless, when she was looking at you! After the Summoning and the armour...!”**

_‘Kurama! Be nice.‘_ Naruto chided lightly.

 _‘But Ot_ _ōto... you have to addmit, her face had been priceless.‘_ Sasuke said. His voice in his mind was weak, a mere whisper. It would have been easier to keep a link, if his brother had his Sharingan active, but that was not to be.

Unlike in their previous life, Sasuke no longer felt the need to set himself apart from others. And he had come to despise how much his Clan had depended on the Sharingan after reading certain documents and hearing the accounts of the Kage, before Edo Tensei had been released.

Naruto rolled his eyes and gave a pointed look to the Uchiha, which earned an eye-roll. “Are you two having fun?“ Jiraiya asked, his eyes skipping between them. “Those looks... like a lovesick couple.”

Naruto choked. “ _NANI!_ He’s my brother!”

“Don’t be disgusting! He’s male _and_ my brother!” Sasuke said, their glares directed at the spymaster.

“Oh, hey, _okay_. Clam down, I was just joking.” Jiraiya apologised. The Sannin muttered something about them not getting a joke, but Naruto couldn’t catch the whole thing.

Sasuke on the other hand, probably caught it and scowled. “Obviously, you don’t get what it’s like to know someone so well, that you don’t need words to speak.” he pointed out. (Okay, that was not true. They still needed words, for complex conversations, but most of the time, a handsign, a look or a gesture was enough to know what the other wanted.)

“Well, just to let you...”

“It’s Konoha!” Shizune cut them off way too cheerfully, making a gesture ahead. “We’re here!”

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke stood side by side, on the stone face of the Yondaime, listening to the muted cheers of the crowd, as everyone celebrated the newly crowned Hokage.

“Long may she reign.“ Naruto said, his words carried by the gentle, warm breeze.

Sasuke hummed. “What do you think... how long it will take her to reach the point, where she wants to strangle the old coots? Danzo may be out of the way... but I can’t say that I trust the other two, either.“

“We have no evidence against them and don’t forget it, Nī-sama. We’re no longer the sons of the Sennin, for whom people look for guidence. We’re just young, clueless children. Talented ones and the last of the founding Clans... but still just that. _Children_.”

Sasuke scowled. “Children, who have more common sense, than half of the village’s shinobi.”

“That matters not and you know it.” he grunted. “We should try tracking Zetsu. This mess is his work and if we want to stop this, we’ll have to get rid of Zetsu too. Perhaps getting rid of him first, would be the best choice.”

Sasuke sighed. “He’s been hiding for so long, stalling. He’s elusive. He may not know we remember... but...”

Naruto pouted. “True. So what then? Should we try reaching out to the Kaguya and the Hyūga? They carry a part of the Ōtsutsukis’ legacy as well. And... frankly, my encounters with them had made a lasting impression, in a bad sense. Their so-called prodigy is cold, full of bitterness and hate and their Heiress is _so_ shy. I don’t have anything against Hinata, but if that bunch is just a bit as we used to be, than they will walk over her, even before she becomes a Head.”

Sasuke hummed, sighing. “And the Kaguya? From what I know, most of them are gone... those who remain are regarded as bloodthirsty savages. They seem to have lost access to their Kekkei Genkai as well.”

Naruto blinked, arching an eyebrow. “W-what? But Hamura oji-sama’s blood... it had been so strong! How...?“

Sasuke shook his head. “I don’t know. However...“ the Uchiha’s sentence was cut off, as a cat-masked ANBU appeared behind them. Both Genin shifted slowly, studying the operative with sharp eyes.

“Neko-san.” Naruto greeted.

“Uchiha-san, Senju-san, Hokage-sama wishes to see you.” she stated. The boys shared a brief look, before nodding.

* * *

When they made it to the Hokage’s office, they noted with some surprise, that the rest of their peers were present as well.

Tsunade sat behind the massive table, the Hokage’s hat in front of her, a faint smile on her face. Nara Shikaku and the two Elders stood behind her, with Jiraiya lingering off to the side. Once they stopped, eyeing Tsunade, the medic spoke.

“After careful consideration, based on the accounts of your preformance during the Exams and the Invasion...” she reached for something, which was off her table, “we made our decisions. You’ve all shown skills and mindset worthy of Konoha shinobi.“

As she pulled out a vest, she looked at Shikamaru. “Shikamaru, you’re an excellent tactican, despite your age. While you have given up your match, your preformance helped along your team and also helped them perform better and stay safe in the Invasion. For that, you are prompted to Chūnin.”

She tossed him the vest and he caught it. “ _Mendokuse_.“ he murmured with a nod, causing Ino to glare. “Thank you, Hokage-sama.”

One by one, Tsunade listed all the positive qualities of each person present, pointing out flaws, that should be worked on in the future, to help them improve. And as she listed the names, Chūnin vests were distributed among each of them. The pleased expressions and the congratulations passed between them all, in good spirits.

Once the group quieted down, they all realised, that Tsunade hadn’t called out Naruto and Sauske. Everyone’s eyes settled on the boys, ocassionally flickering to the Hokage, waiting for her to speak. After a long moment of silence, she did.

“Uchiha Sasuke and Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.” both stood straighter at their names being spoken, studying the Hokage curiously, “According to the accounts, the two of you have stalled the three resurrected Hokage, which allowed Sarutobi-sensei to deal great wounds to Orochimaru. You two hadn’t _only_ _stalled_ them, but freed them from Orochimaru’s control, to aid the village. You kept an instable Jinchūriki in check, until his seal could be redone and so stopped Shukaku from laying waste to the village. And lastly, your timely appearance outside Tanzaku Gai had saved my life. Once more, you demonstrated teamwork beyond that of teams so recently formed. You showed tactical manouvers, raw power, teamwork of the highest calibre and a mature mindset, that makes people wonder. I dare say, others could – and can – learn from you. Not only your peers, but those older than you, by decades. ”

The boys shared a brief look and smiled slightly. “Arigato, Hokage-sama.”

Tsunade smiled and tossed two green vests at them, which they caught on instinct. “Naruto, Sasuke, for your outstanding performance and for the Will of Fire, that burns so brightly in you, as my grandfather would have said, hereby you are Tokubetsu Jōnin of Konohagakure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit shorter, than the previous chapters... but this (and the upcoming) part is hard. Here is the part where Naruto would be going with Jiraiya on the training trip, as Akatsuki make an appearance. And... I´m kind of lost, as I don´t want to seperate the boys, nor does Naruto need such an extensice training, as in canon. Ideas/suggestions how to move forwards?
> 
> As always, please leave comments and share your opinion. Your comments are the caffeine of my soul. :3


	33. Discussions and Missions

As the cheers quieted down, Naruto looked at the group with a smile. “Hey, guys. What about some food at the Akimichis’ Barbecue place? You’re all my guests.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “You wanted to say _our_ guests, Otōto. Considering the minus on the Senju account, you only have the Uzumaki one. True, the fortune of an entire Clan, which has been growing over the years, but still.”

Naruto huffed. “Whatever.“ he looked back at the others. “So?” All the Chūnin shared looks and then they agreed, Lee and Kiba being the loudest.

“Far from wanting to break your moment,“ Tsunade spoke up again, drawing many eyes to her. “But I would like to speak with my newest Tokujō. They will join you shortly.”

After several nods, the group left, only leaving the brothers and the two Sannin in the office. “What is it you wanted to speak to us about, Hokage-sama?“ Naruto asked.

Tsunade seemed thoughtful for a moment. “Usually this... is not done. But I would like you two to join us our most recent investigation, as it concerns you both, I believe.”

“What investigation?”

“Danzo’s death means we can put an end to his shady operations and disband his little organization, which we know as ROOT. Sarutobi-sensei had ordered it disbanded a while after the Kyūbi attack, but it was obviously not done. The ROOT Headquarters had been found underground. Now, the two of you are involved, not only because of the discovery regarding the Uchihas...“ here she threw a look at Jiraiya, “... but also because of the Kyūbi.”

Naruto frowned. “What does my Jinchūriki status have to do with this?”

“He wanted to make you his personal little weapon.“ Jiraiya said darky. “Myself and Sarutobi-sensei struggled for years to keep his hands off of you. To give you a normal childhood. I think he would have tried getting his hands on Sasuke too, for his Sharingan, but he dropped dead sooner.”

“ _Good riddance_.“ Sasuke hissed. “If he wasn’t already gutted, I would gut him now.”

Tsunade didn’t say anything, only continoued after a moment. “There’ll be several ANBU squads tonight. Jiraiya will also join and since it’s an operation inside the village, we thought it would be good for you to learn some more professinalism and inteligence gathering. Yamato and Kakshi will be considered active ANBU operatives for this occasion and the four of you will be a team.”

They shared a look and nodded. “Understood, Hokage-sama.”

“It’ll be marked in your files as an A-rank mission and you will get payment for it accordingly. Yamato and Kakashi will seek you out a few hours before the mission. And do _not_ mention this to your peers.”

“Understood.”

Tsunade nodded. “Dismissed. Go, have some fun with your friends. Kami knows you two are way too mature and serious. Enjoy life while you can.”

* * *

Jiraiya watched the duo leave with a thoughtful look. Once he was sure they were gone, the Gama Sennin turned back to his teammate. “Are you sure this was a good idea? The promotion _and_ involving them?“

Tsunade nodded. “They are far more talented, than the rest of the group, but I also understand Homura and Koharu’s reluctance to make those two full-fledged Jōnin. Climbing the ranks too fast might break them, no matter how strong they seem right now. Climbing fast has almost broken Kakashi, coupled with the loss of his team... and while Itachi is still loyal, you’re _not_ making me eat the bullshit, that he is completely healthy, mentally speaking.”

Jiraiya sighed. “I would think he’s burdened too. Fugaku was an _ass_ – always been. It’s a kind of surprise, that Itachi turned out the way he is, with that man for father.”

Tsunade grunted and then looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Speaking of Itachi... do we have news about Akatsuki?”

Jiraiya grunted in irritation. “No. It seems, that for some reason, Akatsuki has been more careful. From what Itachi told me last time we met, they’re gathering funds to launch something _bigger_ – something, that may lead to them hunting the Jinchūriki. Perhaps sooner, than we first anticipated.”

“Which brings us to Naruto.“ Tsunade murmured, taking a swing of her saké. Jiraiya noted, that ever since that fight with Orochimaru, he saw his teammate drink less. She still drank, but the amont had been decreased greatly. It was surprising to see her turn around, in such a short time.

 _‘Naruto’s realy good with words. He knows how to convince people. And while the Uchiha speaks less, his words are no less dangeorus. In fact, his words had seemed to give more weight to Naruto’s little lesson. Those two together... they could take the world and rule it, as long as they’re side by side.‘_ Jiraiya thought. That realisation was mind-blowing, even for him. Those two worked together like no other. They covered each others’ weaknesses and their strenghts seemed to support one another.

“Yes.“ Jiraiya agreed. “I would say I want to train him... to take him away from here, to help him prepare for Akatsuki...”

Tsunade shook her head. “I don’t know them well just yet, but I don’t think they would agree to being seperately for more, than a week. Neither Sasuke, nor Naruto. In fact, in the light of the past, I’d say that Naruto is Sasuke’s anchor to Konoha. If not for Naruto, we may have a Sharingan-wielding criminal, running wild.”

Jiraiya huffed. “Probably. And I don’t seem to be able to teach them seperately – whatever I’ve shown Naruto so far, Sasuke had also seen it. True, he uses little of what I’ve shown, but... and then there’s Naruto. He seems to be determined to pursue a medical profession. To be a forntline medic, like you. Fighting and healing all at once.”

Tsunade’s hand froze mid-swing and she slowly placed the alcohol bottle on the desk. “W-what? Him? A **_medic_**? _He’s the freaking Kyūbi Jinchūriki!_ He’s _not_ going to have enough control... not with his half-Uzumaki heritage...”

“Tsunade.“ Jiraiya cut her off, “He’s using chakra-enhanced strenght regularly. And when the Hokage were back, Hashirama-sama started teaching him.”

Tsunade stared and then drank all her remaining saké in one go. “What are those two? Some freaks of nature? If it’s true, than I could go and teach him the Byakugō.”

Jiraiya paled. “To give _even more_ chakra and control to a literal, walking jaggernaut?! Kami-sama protect us then...”

Tsunade sighed. “He has the Mokuton. It has special healing properties. If I teach him properly, he could be just as good, as jiji had once been. A world renowned medic.”

“But I still want to teach the kid Fūinjutsu – he has even more potential, than Minato.“ he grunted with his arms crossed. “But if we’re speaking about Naruto, we can’t ignore the Uchiha either. As long as they’re on the same level and so close, he’s not a flight risk.”

Tsunade folded her hands and rested her chin on them. “You could teach him some more Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. Kakashi can refine his Genjutsu knowledge, too. Yamato can still help Naruto with Mokuton and I will teach him medical ninjutsu and maybe add some more to his Taijutsu knowledge, if he really wants to walk in Senju footsteps.”

Jiraiya leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “And you teach the Uchiha chakra control. He doesn’t have as much chakra as Naruto, nor can I see him as a medic, but he has a lot of chakra for his age. And it’s surprisingly potent, for an Uchiha – better chakra control would be benefical for his techniques. And he’s also good with Kenjutsu. Perhaps we could rope Yugao or Hayate into teaching him?”

Tsunade nodded. “Possible. Sarutobi-sensei had high expectations of those two and it seems, they could live up to said expectations, even exceed them, as long as we give them the means to improve. Perhaps they’ll make it onto Jōnin in a year. From what I’ve seen, their teamwork is hellish. I never thought I’d say something like this, but they easily beat the Ino-Shika-Chō, in teamwork.”

“Yes. But what about the missions? They would need real-life experiece, too. They’re once in a lifetime pair, I give you that, but their hands are not yet bloody. Not really.”

Tsunade shrugged. “Perhaps you could take them on shorter trips? A field promotion, instead of Exam? But then again, Jōnin Exams are always within the village and that might be good to. To show others, that despite their young age, they’re worthy.”

Jiraiya shrugged. “No idea... Kami, my Genin team was much easier to deal with. Why can’t Naruto be like Minato?”

Tsunade snorted. “He’s very much like Minato, Jiraiya. Any more like his father and the kid would be his father reborn. Which he is obviously _not_ , altough his skills are growing fast...” she huffed. “If we manage to get trough with this... we’ll be creating monsters. _Monsters_ on the level of Madara and Jiji.“ she murmured.

Jiraiya nodded, having the same thoughts. But then, his mind flashed to the conversation he had with the Great Toad Sage just a few weeks ago. A blood chilling conversation about darkness and about a child of Prohecy, who either saved or destroyed the world. Perhaps he had been wrong – it had never been Nagato, nor Minato. It was Naruto.

 _Darkness covering the world, a red moon – like a sinister god watching,– hanging in the sky, blood flowing in rivers..._ the Great Sage had said.

“Yes and it’s terrifiying amount of power... but I have a vague bad feeling, that if we want those two to survive, they will have to be like Madara and your grandfather, in terms of power.” he muttered, barely supressing a cold shiver.

* * *

The newest Chūnin/Tokubetsu Jōnin of the village were all sitting at the Akimichis’ restaurant, eating.

“Oh, look here are our fromer students.“ a new voice spoke. Everyone stopped for a second, to see their senseis approaching. Kurenai was smiling, Gai had a huge, blinding grin on his face and Asuma’s calm expression was radiating pride.

“Sensei!” several of the former Genin called cheerfully. The adults grabbed a few chairs and completed the crowded circle.

“So, how does it feel to be Chūnin?“ Kurenai asked.

“It’s wonderful!“ Kiba said enthusiastically. “One step closer to being famous! _Whoo!_ ” Akamaru barked in agreement and the Jōnin all chuckled at the usual Inuzaka antics.

“And you, boys?“ asked Asuma, turning to Naruto and Sasuke. “I heard you impressed Godaime-sama and the Elders. Tokujō on the spot...“ he hummed, “You’re quick to climb the ranks, like Kakashi had been.”

Sasuke shrugged. “We were just doing, what had to be done, plain and simple.”

“But it also helps, that we have wonderful senseis.“ Naruto added with a cheerful grin.

“Maa, that’s sweet of you to say, Naruto.“ came a lazy drawl. Kakashi walked over to them, his stance relaxed. “But really, you two would have been perfectly capable of the things you’ve done, even without us.”

Sasuke nodded. “Maybe. But teamwork’s essential, no? We stick together.“

Kakashi nodded. “That we do, Sasuke.“

“It’s so unfair you two are already Jōnin.“ murmured Kiba, scowling at them. Naruto scowled too, as he felt the jealousy rolling off of the feral boy.

“We worked for our promotion – besides, we’re not entirely Jōnin yet.“ he pointed out. “Train and work hard, Kiba and you will have your own accomplishments. Jealousy just tampers your improvement. Instead, sallow your pride and work with your team, together, not just on Clan techniques. I’m not saying you leave your family, no – family is more important, than anything... just be open to change. Ask others to help you and if you ask nicely, I’m sure they won’t say no. It’s just patience and a lot of work.”

Everyone blinked at those words owlishly, trying to process their meaning.

Kakashi hummed. “As enlightening it is to listen to your words of wisdom Naruto, we have work to do.”

Both boys’ eyes snapped to him, turning sharp and focused in a blink. “It’s time?“ Sasuke asked, rising from his seat slowly.

Kakashi hummed. “I thought, I’d go over the detalis before we start, as you’ve never been to a mission like this. So... finish your meals, say goodbye and meet me on Namikaze grounds in twenty minutes.”

Naruto nodded. “We’ll be there.” Kakashi gave them an eye smile – stole some of Naruto’s food, earning himself an outburst from the blonde, – before disappearing. Naruto scowled at the spot where his sensei had been. “That was _my_ food.“ he murmured sulkily.

The others around him chuckled at his misfortune.

* * *

Sasuke scoffed, Sharingan narrowing on the offending pieces of clothing. _‘Stupid ANBU armour. How the hell are we supposed to...‘_

“Need some help?“ came the calm, yet amused voice of Yamato from the door.

The Uchiha rolled his eyes at the older Mokuton-user. “Why the hell do we need _this_ anyway? We’re not ANBU.”

Yamato walked up to him, showing how to hold the armour, to slip into it. “You’re not ANBU, true... but we don’t know what may be down there. Tsunade-sama may have classified this an A-rank. Both myself and Kakashi would feel better if you were dressed in this. You don’t get masks, but we did get permission to borrow these.”

The Uchiha grunted. Even after so long, it was a bit surreal how protective the two Jōnin could be and that hadn’t changed one bit, even after they told the two who they’d been once. “You two forget what we were once capable of.“ he murmured, as Yamato secured his armour.

“ _Once_.“ the brown-haired man said. “You can’t do it now – not _yet_. Until I don’t see that famous Perfect Susanno’o of yours, the one which was the originator to all of them or Naruto’s... own avatar, we get to be protective.”

“Sūsenju. Or Varuna.” Sasuke supplied calmly, as he picked up his tantō, securing it on his back, as per ANBU protocol.

“I’m sorry?” Yamato asked, blinking at him.

“Otōto’s avatar. _S_ _ūsenju_ , if he uses Mokuton. _Varuna_ , if he uses the nine Bijū’s chakra. Just so we’re clear.”

Yamato hummed. “Whatever you say, I believe you. The point is, until I see either of those legendary avatars, you’re putting up with our fussing and that’s it.”

Sasuke sighed, glancing at the ceiling. “Otō-sama give me strenght...“ he murmured under his breath, Sharingan skidding about the room, as if he wished hard enough, the legendary man would appear. He had no such luck.

Seriously, ever since they told Kakashi and Yamato, he was cursing more, than he had done in his previous life and up till the Exam, combined.

* * *

It was strange, Naruto thought. It was strange how tightly the armour fit, seemingly restrincting his movement, yet still allowing him to move, just as well as before. Tonight was dark, the crescent moon hiding behind the clouds. Still, for a moment, sometimes, he would catch the silvery celestial body and it would bring up memories. Memories of his childhood, when they trained with Indra and their father so fondly compared them to the sun and the moon...

“Are you ready?“ Kakashi asked in a quiet tone, glancing at him and Sasuke.

Naruto nodded and then, in a burst of speed, they were gone from the rooftop. They sped trough the village, towards the empty, abandoned outskirts. Once they reached just the ‘border ‘ of it. Nearuto could sense the other ANBU teams approaching and he pointedly looked in their direction and nodding towards them. It seemed the three teams were suitably impressed with him, if the surprise and shock that sparked among the calmness, was anything to go by.

“What sort of little monsters do you have for students, sempai?“ a bear masked man asked, looking at Kakashi.

Kakashi chuckled, looking at the operative and then at him. “The sort of monsters, who can level entire villages, without Bijū involvement.”

Naruto snorted softly. “Not yet... but if I use _Jukai Kōtan_ , I’m sure at least half the village would be covered, which would then give us chance to try and destroy the rest. Nī-sama could always burn down the rest of the place with _Shiroi Hon_ _ō_.” he grinned foxily.

“ _Ot_ _ōto_.“ Sasuke hissed, softly, his Sharingan flashing disapproingly. “Let’s not discuss the destruction of the village, hmm? How about we deal with this? I’d gladly sleep tonight, if possible.”

“Well said, Uchiha-san.“ a Bird masked ANBU murmured. “You know the plan. Get in, kill anyone who’s resistance is danger to your lives and then we can start collecting the documents. Don’t kill those, who have been safely restrained.”

“Hai.“ came the group’s answer, as they moved forward.

As they descended into the underground facility, Naruto’s senses heightened. Channeling a bit of Kurama’s chakra helped his eyes adjust to the darkness, too. They were barely inside, when he sensed three people approaching. The three cloacked operatives dropped from the ceiling, radiating Killing Intent.

“Leave now, intruders.”

Naruto’s lips curled upwards. “Sorry, not gonna happen.“ he said.

He jumped at the men, chakra chains materialising from his back with soft rattle, wrapping around two of the ANBU, while Sasuke intercepted the third one. For a while, the operiatives tried struggling their golden bonds, but as Naruto anchored the chains to the wall, their movements slowed. Satisfied, he formed even more of the chains, to wrap the two completely, not even giving them an inch to move. Once he was done, he turned to Sasuke, just in time to see the Uchiha drive his lightning-enhanced blade trough the operative’s heart.

Once the individual dropped down, Sasuke sighed. “Wish I had your chains. But... maybe I’ll try a baby version of Tsukuyomi. That should do well to knock them out.“ he said thoughtfully.

Naruto shrugged. “Sure.“

The deeper they went, the more operatives they found and soon enough, they caught glimpse of Kakashi and Yamato as well, along with the three other ANBU squards Tsunade had assigned.

It took them the better part of the night, but in the end, the mission was sucessful. Most ROOT members were alive and bound – some around Sasuke and Naruto’s age, but others even _younger_. A dozen or so of them dead, but compared to how many have been bound, the number was rather small.

By the time they collected the bound people, as well as the bodies, it was almost dawn. With the operatives no longer a danger, they could start investigating. Jiraiya called in some members of the T&I to take the people away.

Naruto just barely got his breath back after the fight – the last two he’d faced had been skilled and rather determined to kill him, so he had to use Mokuton to surprise them. When Yamato waved them over. “Sasuke, Naruto.“

Hearing the call, the blonde shuffled to his teacher and looked at a stack of papers on the desk. “Now, we’ll have a lot of things to look trough. I’ll show you what to look for and then, we’ll later go over how to write a proper mission report.”

Nodding in understanding, they set out to work.

* * *

Naruto froze, when he saw the old folder, on the very bottom of the pile he’d been going trough. The writing on it, for some reason, turned his blood into ice. _Operation Uzu – Elimination/Harvest._

Cautiously, Naruto pulled out the thick folder and flipped it open to see the documents inside. All of them had decades old dates. Dates, which corresponded with his history knowledge and his mother’s brief mentions of the catastrophe.

The days of the Second Shinobi War, specifically the destruction of Uzushiogakure.

And the files were full of revolting information. How Danzo sabotaged the Konoha troops sent to aid Uzu. How he boosted Kumo/Kiri/Iwa troops with supplies and information to help the village’s fall. it also mentioned, that several of Danzo’s men had been sent to collect the bodies of dead Uzumaki to study them and how some of the dying had been nursed back to health, so that Danzo could keep them here and harvest their abilities...

... only for each and every attempt to fail and the _subjects_ to die in pain, either shortly after or months of suffering later.

**_Attempted to awaken and harvest Rin’negan, the legendary eyes of the Sennin, but none seemed sucessful yet. Used some Uchiha blood, the samples stolen from the hospital, but each child and young adult died without achieving the eyes._ **

Naruto slapped the folder closed and backed away, battling his nausea. _‘Sick fucker! You did well in killing him, N_ _ī-sama. He eliminated the Uzumaki... now the Uchiha... would the Hy_ _ūga have been the next, once their usefulness was over?‘_

 **“I don’t know.“** Kurama answered. **“But... in light of this all, I may have been gentle with him and he would have deserved something much, _much_ worse.”**

* * *

Meanwhile, a few shelves away, Sasuke was reading a different mission forlder. One, which contained information about the Kaguya Clan of Kirigakure.

**_None of the Kaguya seem to be in posession of the Clan’s Kekkei Genkai, as the clan members themselves fear it and kill all children capable of utilising the ability. We had retrived a few bodies and the bodies had since been studied, but to no avail. The children we tried injecting with Kaguya blood to awaken the ability had all died of a bone disase... Orochimaru himself is looking for possible solutions. Perhaps someone, who has the strong body and life force of Senju and Uzumaki, would be able to combat the disase and awaken..._ **

Sasuke stopped reading, repulsed.

To think a Clan would turn on themselves in such a way. Was that, which bothered him so much? Or was it Danzo’s meddling? Taking a deep breath to control his emitons, he neatly stacked the papers and did his best to work precisely and fast. However, he didn’t have his Sharingan active, just for once – all this disgusting information would burn itself into his mind anyway, no need to make sure it won’t ever dull.

He knew enough about the man, to form his opinion – a sick megalomaniac, who had died way too mercifully. Kurama shouldn’t have been so gentle. He briefly wondered what Naruto had found... but wait. Perhaps he didn’t want to know any more of the shady underground work of this worm.

 _‘He worked in the dark, underground.‘_ Sasuke mused disdainfully. _‘Not even a shinobi, but a worm. A worm of the worst kind.‘_

As he categorised the stacks of papers, for the first time in his life, he wished he had some sort of alcohol. (Perhaps he could steal a bottle of Tsunade’s saké, when they went to report? Surely, she wouldn’t notice _one_ bottle missing...)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The sphrese would be "Sage give me strenght", but again, Sasuke switched the words, for obvious reasons.  
> As always, please leave comments. :3


	34. Cousins

_Naruto stood in front of his father, his gaze unwavering. Minato’s face was one of shock._

_“You want what?“ his father asked._

_Naruto sighed. “You split the Fox in half. I know you were worried I wouldn’t be able to withstand all that power – you couldn’t know who I had once been, so it’s okay to be worried. But now, I need it. I need that chakra back, Otō-san. Once I’ve worked with the Bijū. They were – they **are** my siblings. While I worked with them before, it would certainly be easiser to have the whole of the Fox. Now that I’m older and my body has grown used to the power presence, it won’t be a problem. Having all of him sealed in me.”_

_His father frowned. “I wouldn’t want you to be even more of a target, musuko. At least like this, that masked man can’t complete his plan. Not without having all of the Fox.”_

_“And we can’t hope to defeat him without the Bijū, either.“ Sasuke spoke up from next to the tree, where he sat in kekkufuza. “Besides, the man could summon you trough Edo Tensei, like the snake-face. He would extract the half of the Kyūbi you have without question and we would be at a setback.”_

_“We’re working on saving the world, Otō-san.“ Naruto said again, this time more firmly. “And we need all of our siblings’ help for that – their full-power help.”_

_His father nodded at last. “Very well, musuko. I trust you.” Naruto smiled and hugged Minato. His father hugged him back, just as firmly. “And... reincarnation or not, you’re always going to be our little ball of sunshine. Mine and your mother’s too.”_

_Naruto chuckled. “I wouldn’t want that to change.“ He pulled away, moulding his chakra. “Now, if you help with this, the transfer would be easier. We need a twin shikki for this to work.“_

_“You mean two seals of the same kind?“ his father asked._

_Naruto shook his head. “No. Two similar seals, but not identical. The base theory of such a seal is that the content of the seal – in this case your half of Kurama, – will be considered the difference and, to maintain balance, my half of the seal will absorb chakra from you, trough the link.“ he answered, crouching down to draw a simple chart into the dirt. “This will create the balance, but at the end of the process, you won’t be a Jinchūriki. And it’s practical, since it can be applied over an already existing seal –and the two seals, which are being connected can be different – so it is much faster, if we break your seal to extract Kurama and then reseal his other half into me. And since we aren’t modifying the existing seal, merely use it as a sort of transportation method, like how Hirashin works, taking you from one spot to another, it won’t mess up my chakra control, because the Fox will be able to regulate how much chakra I can access at a time and gradually make my body get used to the bigger amount without me having to start chakra control from scratch. You follow?”_

_His family members leaned over his shoulder, to look at the small drawing he’d made, complete with a few seal symbols and a chibi Kurama for better understanding._

_“This...” Hashirama murmured, his eyes widening._

_“... is genius.” Tobirama said and Naruto scratched his cheek with a small shrug of his shoulders._

_“It’s not that difficult actually. I based this seal on Ninshū...“ he murmured shyly, “...rather, on its theory –how it was meant to connect, trough chakra.”_

“Naruto.”

Naruto jolted out of his memories at hearing his name. It was Sasuke. “Nī-sama?”

Sasuke made a gesture. “Kakashi agreed to a fight between us and Gai’s team. Well, promised to ask that is, as we have the right to turn it down. He’s really just our captain on missions now.”

Naruto hummed. “Yeah, yeah. What about it?”

“We could beat some sense into Neji. I won’t stand for one of our kin, no matter how distant that connection is, acting like that.”

The blonde hummed, as he stood up. “Well said. Being the lonely genius, perhaps you can even reach out to him?”

Sasuke snorted. “ _You’re_ the one who’s proficient in Talk-no-Jutsu, not _me_.” he murmured.

Naruto snorted and gave him a look.

* * *

Sasuke’s eyes morphed into the Sharingan, as he took his fighting stance, Neji standing opposite him. Lee had wanted to fight him, but Sasuke made his intentions of matching Sharingan against Byakugan very clear. But, Lee would have fun with Naruto too, Sasuke was sure of that.

His brother’s speed and heavy hits were close to the style of Taijutsu Lee and Gai were fond of. (So, switching pairs also ensured he won’t have broken bones. Unlike Nauto, he couldn’t heal himself nor did he have one of their Bijū siblings sealed in his gut.)

“Remember to fight fairly!” Kakashi called sternly. Sasuke nodded towards his teacher and turned his gaze back to Neji. The older’s own Dōjutsu was also active. “Hajime!”

Sasuke took a deep breath and let Neji make the starting strike. _‘Just remember how Mitra fought.‘_ he told himself, calmly analysing the situation as he deflected a few of the Hyūga’s strikes. _‘There are 365 tenketsu and he can see their precise location. The moment I break his hit sequence, I have the upper hand...‘_ he thought.

_Mitra’s pale eyes narrowed on him, her Byakugan already ablaze, as she took her stance. Her black hair was secured in a tight braid, brushing her mid-back. Hers was the exact stance his uncle used. But then again, it would make sense, as she had her father’s eyes – the Byakugan’s abilities of near 360 degree x-ray vision were something to be vary of._

_Her face was emotionless, her pale eyes like empty pearls – Shinju... and Asura had called **him** emotionally stunted. No. He was just fine emotionally thank you. He just didn’t carry said emotions on his sleeve, like his little brother. Mitra... Mitra on the other hand, **was** emotionally problematic. How their uncle hadn’t noticed it, he would never understand._

_“Ready, Indra?“ she asked, tone flat._

_He smirked at her. “Come, catch me, cousin.”_

_She scoffed and leapt forwards, strikes fast and precise, but it was useless. She was talented, but he wasn’t the Prodigy of Ninshū for nothing. Besides, he already knew how his uncle fought. He deflected several of her strikes and even the few that were too fast for his hands to catch, hit him prepared. It was just a question of timing and chakra control._

_Mitra wasn’t the only one with near-perfect control in the family. And unlike her, **he** wasn’t limited to close-range. He caught her wrist, making her eyes widen and kicked her in the abdomen, hard. Then, he ran trough a set of seals, that had long since become his favourite..._

He caught Neji’s open-palm strike in the last minute, just inches away from its target, shocking the Hyūga. _“How?”_ he whispered.

Sasuke grinned. ”You’re good. But I developed my fighting style around a more skilled Byakugan-user.” he answered matter of factly in a low tone, so the rest of Team Three would not hear. He kicked the Chūnin in the abdomen and Neji went flying back a few feet. Sasuke stopped where he was, easing his stance.

Neji stood slowly, glaring heatedly and had Sasuke been anyone else, he would have cowered. “What did you just...” he gasped out, “did you call that _shame_ of a Heiress we have, a better fighter, than I am?” he asked, tone heated and dangerous.

Sasuke snorted mentally. _‘No. I was talking about Mitra.‘_ he thought seriously, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

“Shame of a Heiress?“ he arched an eyebrow. “She has a good heart, which few can say about themselves, in this misguided world. Kindness is not weakness, I’ve learned that myself.” he said, darting closer.

“She’s a _failure_.” Neji hissed, as he moved again. Sasuke deflected his strikes again, holding back a wince now and then, as a few hit. He was sure he was going to have bruises after this, as well as some internal bleeding... but then again, he could be Naruto’s practice for his medical training.

“She’s your _family_.“ Sasuke pressed, as he increased his speed ever so slightly, to make it harder for Neji to reach him. The more they dragged this out, the likelier it was he could drive it trough the Hyūga’s tough skull, that no matter what were the circumstances, family was family, for few crimes were truly unforgivable.

“And what do you know of _that_ , Uchiha?“ Neji spat back. “Your Clan are gone. The one you call your family loves you more, than my kin ever cared for me.”

 _No_. That was _not_ true. Mitra had always been prideful, maybe even more than him... but she loved her own. She had loved her sister dearly and her children even more. He could no longer recall the names of his nieces and nephews, but he still remembered how Asura told him, that the four of them could be family again –that he would have a loving wife and children and curious nieces and nephews all around him.

“I doubt your kin would discard you so carelessly.” he said. “Trust me, I know how much a Clan care for their own.“

He knew how much Mitra had loved her husband and children. She’d never been the prankster kind, like Asura, but there was a subdued kindness to her. She was a lot like her father. Her sister – Sarvastra – had been more like their mother (and a bit like Asura, in terms of learing and pranks) in nature.

“You know nothing. Your Clan never treated you, like a caged animal. I’m a servant to my own uncle.”

Sasuke growled, his Sharingan morphing into its higher state, making Neji’s eyes widen. He kicked the older hard – with a chakra infused blow – and as the older spawled on the ground. He landed next to him, kneeling on Neji’s chest, careful to keep his own weight.

“I know _everything_.“ he countered, as his Sharingan took hold, transfering just enough knowledge for Neji to grasp he wasn’t what he looked like and that he had the means and the power to help.

* * *

Neji’s breath hitched, as the Genjutsu ended and he found himself staring up into dark brown – no, pitch black eyes.

_Indra. Sasuke._

This... Sasuke wasn’t all he seemed. He was as much Sasuke, as much Indra. Son of the Sennin, progenitor of the Uchiha. Brother to Asura, who was progenitor of Senju and Uzumaki. Brother of the nine Bijū. Nephew of Ōtsutsuki Hamura, cousin to Sarvastra and Mitra, progenitors of Kaguya and Hyūga respectively.

“You can’t be...“ he whispered in shock.

“I am. _I’m Indra_.” he said firmly, tone low. “ And I know mine own cousins. Mitra would never abide by the suffering of her own.“ as Neji stopped struggling, he slowly loosened his hold. “I don’t know your story, but you can share. I have a fair share of my own demons. Asura... Naruto and I – we can help. If you _let_ us.“

“You... you _can’t._ “ Neji whispered. “A caged bird is only free in death.”

Sasuke shook his head. “A caged bird adapts and grows strong from capture. Learns to open the locks of its cage with a beak. But... even if _you_ cannot do it... let _us_ do it. The time, when we shared a blood, yours and mine, is long gone. But I have not forgotten. We’re family.”

Neji bit his lips. He wanted to belive... he so desperately wanted to _believe_ , that he could be free again... but the Clan would never let it. Even if Sasuke – _Indra_ was indeed who he claimed to be, even then, the Clan would deny them the freedom.

“They would never let you.”

Sasuke stood slowly, dragging him up as well. Neji ignored the dust that was now covering him and he was too shocked to be upset about losing. (Heck... considering _who_ Sasuke was, he was probably lucky to be alive!)

“Between myself and Otōto, they won’t have a choice. We can be rather _persuasive_.“ Sasuke said, as his Sharingan spun lazily, nodding towards Naruto. “But first, you have a cousin to apologise to. Time to make it up to her and present a united front.”

Neji thought for a moment, before nodding. Best not piss off the Sharingan-user. He liked his head on his shoulders, thank you very much.

As they left Kakashi and Gai behind, excusing themselves with a surprisingly plausile lie (who knew Naruto was so good at deception?), Neji let his thoughts wander. He recalled the first days of meeting the odd pair, Uchiha and Senju, the unlikeliest duo, considering the Clans histories.

Naruto’s and Sasuke’s presence had, from the first day of their meeting felt overwhelming – it wasn’t the controlled, subdued power of an experienced shinobi, that much Neji understood. Their power felt nothing like Gai’s, his uncle’s or Kakashi-san’s. No, it had always felt something more – something he felt clearly, despite not being a Sensor type. It was a feeling, which offered comfort and warned him of danger at the same time.

He’d never understood how ones younger than him, could have such overwhelming presence. He addmitted, he’d tried riling up Naruto, hoping he would lose focus, but it hadn’t worked. Back then, he didn’t understand why – now he knew.

He stopped on the edge of the training ground, where Team 8 were having their training. Naruto and Sasuke had come with him, for which he was grateful. If not for the calming presence of the blonde Senju-Uzumaki (Ōtsutsuki?) he would have long abandoned the idea.

“Go.” Naruto said with an encouraging smile. “Just... say sorry. Explain why things had been hard for you. She’s your family. She’ll understand.”

“She’s barely spoken to me since...” Neji frowned, looking away.

“You carry a different name now, as do we.“ Sasuke said, pointing at Naruto and then himself. “But there is something that still remains, from the days of Ninshū. The family. Ōtsutsuki valued – s _till value_ – family above all. That is as much our strenght, as it is our weakness, no matter which of the five offshoot Clans you mention. Don’t let it be your weakness. Don’t follow my path – I and mine paid a price for it. Make family your _strenght_.”

Neji nodded at the two gratefully and stalked towards the training Team 8. They were having a Taijutsu spar and as he got closer, Neji noticed the slight mistakes in his cousin’s stance. Mistakes, that messed up her balance and gave her Inuzaka teammate a chance to knock her off balance, sending her flying.

Neji’s eyes widened, as he noticed the angle she would crash – he pushed chakra into his feet to enchance his speed and jumped, just barely catching Hinata and landing with a roll. He grunted a bit at the dull pain, but it was nothing compared to what Hinata would have felt, had he let her fall...

He stopped the roll and slowly sat up. Hinata’s eyes were wide with shock. She looked a bit winded. “N-Neji nī-s-san?”

Neji took a deep breath, stealing a glance at the brothers lingering on the other edge of the clearing. Both nodded to him and he looked back at his cousin. “Could we speak for a moment, Hinata-sama?”

* * *

The brothers let the two Hyūga have their moment. It was Neji, who needed to come to terms with his life and when that happened, when the cousins stood united, maybe then things would be better. After about a good hour, Neji and Hinata both approached, the shy Heiress having a smile on her face.

“A-Arigato, Na-Naruto-kun, S-Sasuke-kun, for b-bringing N-Neji-nī back. I- I mean t-that...”

“We know what you mean, Hinata.” Naruto said in a calm manner waving her off. “Now that you two made up... would you agree to a match? The two of you, against us.”

Hinata’s eyes went wide. “W-what? B-but I-I c-could never h-hope to b-beat you... ma-maybe N-Neji...“

Neji snorted a bit, shaking his head. “Not in this lifetime. You’re forgeting Naruto-san beat me during the Exams and Sasuke-san just turned my own moves against me, before we came here.”

Sasuke hummed. “I may have done so, but you left me with a few painful bruises, aching chakra coils and maybe a bit of internal bleeding.”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed. “He _what_? Sit down!”

Sasuke shook his head. “It’s nothing life-treathening, Otōto, otherwise...”

 _“Sit down, N_ _ī-sama.”_ he said firmly, his eyes narrowing. “And stay still.” Sasuke sighed and did, as the blonde ordered, drawing soft chuckles from the two Hyūga. As Naruto’s hands began to glow green, Sasuke gestured for the cousins to sit.

When both were seated, his eyes shifted between them. “Hm... how about we train together? You two are pretty good.”

“What?“ Neji asked, eyes wide. “But _why_ would you...?”

“Because that’s what _friends_ do.“ Sasuke said, placing extra emphasis on the ‘friends‘ word. Neji’s eyes widened even more, as he caught the hidden message.

Hinata, meanwhile was trying not to faint at the thought of the infamous duo wanting to be around her. She’d always admired their strenght, Naruto the most. Unlike the rest of their classmates, she knew that the village hadn’t always been nice to him, but despite everything, he had kept smiling and remained positive. (However, she’d noticed things improving, after he was reavealed as someone related to three – now four– of the vilage’s Hokage.)

“So?“ Naruto asked, quirking an eyebrow. “What do you say?”

The cousins shared a look, thinking for a moment. “Alright.“ they said at the same time.

Naruto grinned, like the sun. “Wonderful. We can find time, that doesn’t interfere with your training or family life. We can adjust our schedules according to necessity.”

* * *

Two tired, but pleased Tokubetsu Jōnin sped towards the Hokage tower, befitting their rank. After Naruto had healed Sasuke and also patched up the one big wound on Neji, caused by Sasuke’s kick, the four had gone out to eat. Their bonding time was cut short, when Namiashi Raido – a man, whom Naruto knew had been one of his father’s guards, – told them, that Tsunade had summoned them for something. However, Raido hadn’t specified why, so they were a bit worried, hence their breakneck speed.

Luckily, Tsunade left the window open, unlike the Sandaime that one time, so they could jump into the office, without having to ruin anything. They turned to Tsunade with a dip of their heads. “Hokage-sama.”

“Naruto, Sasuke.“ she greeted, a pleased expression on her face. “I hope my summon hadn’t interrupted anything important.”

The boys shared a look. “The village comes first.” Sasuke said in a measured tone, unwilling to addmit, that he may have enjoyed his time time with the Hyūgas.

Tsunade hummed. “I’m glad you think so, however, I really hope I didn’t disturb anything, as this summon has less to do with the village and more with your future.”

“Our future?“ Naruto echoed, a bit confused. (They had a particular picture of their future, which involved getting strong enough to stop a pair of mad Uchihas – and also their grandmother, if push came to shove – and not dying in the process...)

“We hoped to train you.” Jiraiya suddenly spoke, revealing himself. Naruto twitched, a bit annoyed, that in his hurry, he had forgotten to be _aware_ , as it was demanded of every shinobi. “There... seem to be some trouble brewing in the form of a group, who want the Bijū. And we want you to be able to protect yourselves and each other, considering you’re almost never seperate.”

The two shared a look. **“Is that mad freak already moving? It’s sooner, than you said he might.”** Kurama growled into their minds.

 _‘If he is,‘_ Sasuke said, eyes narrowing a bit, _‘that would mean, that we will have to kick up our training by a notch. Or... by several notches.‘_

 _‘Screw it all.‘_ Naruto cursed, before looking back at the two Sannin. “And what does this mean for us?”

Tsunade sighed. “We’ll help you two train – in fact, we were thinking about a sort of shared apprentinceship. Well, something like it. Jiraiya would help you with Taijutsu, Fūinjutsu and perhaps, if either of you are interested, Senjutsu. Naruto, I heard that you would pursue medicine, so I will teach that to you, along with the Senju Taijutsu as well, as my personal style. Sasuke, while you may never be a medic, I will help with your chakra control as well. Kakashi will help with your Nin- and Genjutsu skills and Naruto... if you still need assistance, Yamato will help with Mokuton.”

“Between all of this, we would go to the field – the three of us, to help you with experience, tracking and information gathering. If you perform well, we might consider a field promotion in the future, instead of you taking the Jōnin Exam.” Jiraiya injected.

They shared a look. It sounded fine – and effective. Plus, they would never trully be seperate, save for perhaps a few days, which was also a bonus. Sticking together was essential – they couldn’t let Zetsu create a wedge between them. Never again.

“So?“ Jiraiya asked, crossing his arms. “Do you two accept?“

The boys smirked, their voices coming in perfect sync. “When do we start?”

They were sure, that their days would be busy from now on, but there was no vicotry without sweat and blood. And if all this work would eventually stop the Jūbi’s reformation... well, all the better. That was why they’d been training so hard all this time. The Sannin offering to help, was just an added bonus.

Maybe, just maybe humanity won’t be turned into mindless slaves under their crazy goddesss of a grandmother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so to make it clear. Indra and Asura are Hagoromo´s sons.  
> Sarvastra and Mitra are Hamura´s daughters.  
> Sarvastra (name lit. means WITH ALL WEAPONS) had his father´s body/structure (Shinkotsumyaku) and became the progenitor of the Kaguya Clan.  
> Mitra (name lit. means ANGEL) had his father´s perception/eyes (Byakugan) and became the progenitor of the Hyūgas.


	35. Training Daze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sniplets of the first days of the boys´ training.

Tsunade handed three scrolls to Sasuke. “Here. Considering, that Naruto has been dabbling with medicine, you might know these chakra control exercises, but still. Memorise them and practice them for the next five days. When the time limit is up, you come and show me the progress. Depending on said progress, we will consider how to move forward. And careful with chakra exhaustion.”

Sasuke took the scrolls and nodded. “Understood, Hokage-sama.”

Tsunade’s brown gaze bore into his black for a moment. “ _Sensei_ , from now on for both of you.” she corrected. “Is the task clear?“

Sasuke tilted his head to the side in surprise, but hummed. “Clear as crystal, Tsunade-sensei.”

Satisfied, the woman handed a stack of books to Naruto. “I know you’re going to use Kage Bunshin anyway, so no complaining.“ she said, even before Naruto could open his mouth to speak, “read all of these at your own peace, from cover to back. I’m going to be quizing you on the topics –these things are essential, if you want to be a medic. In the meanwhile, I suggest more chakra control for you as well. You can’t have your chakra acting out of control, as it may be dangerous for your future patients and your Jinchūriki status is _no excuse._ ”

Naruto nodded, his violet eyes glinting with steel. “Understood, Tsunade-sensei.”

Tsunade smiled. “Oh and in-between the theory and chakra control, Kakashi will be supervising your physical training. You follow his instructions, as you did before, regardless of your new rank.” she stated calmly, altough both boys understood, that it was a politely wrapped order.

“Of course.”

* * *

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at Sasuke. This was supposed to be their Genjutsu session – well, it was. But he was supposed to teach Sasuke, not the other way around.

“What do you mean?” he asked the Uchiha.

Sasuke sighed. “I mean, that you are not an Uchiha. Despite your moniker, no one ever taught you how to properly use the Sharingan. Now, usually I would not do this, as you are not kin by blood...“ he shrugged, “but you have the Sharingan and the Uchiha are almost gone. Now, I persume you know the basic abilities of the Sharingan, naturally.”

Kakashi nodded. “Yes, but I can only use it for a short time. My body wasn’t built to sustain the eye.”

Sasuke hummed. “Naturally. Now, Uchiha don’t have the unearthly stamina of Senju or Uzumaki, but we did have stronger bodies – actually, all Ōtsutsuki desecendants are on the sturdier side, so to say. Now... your body wasn’t built to sustain it, yes. But, I have a few tricks.“ he smirked.

“Tricks?“

Sasuke shrugged. “I wasn’t always capable of leveling mountains in the past, sensei. I _had_ been a child, too. I learned a trick or two, how to use my chakra to fight the chakra depletion, that came with the Sharingan. As I grew older, it was such a minor drain, that I just simply didn’t bother deactivating it anymore. So, I’ll show you a few tricks and you teach me _Raikiri_.”

Kakashi’s eye narrowed. “Sasuke...”

Sauske rolled his eyes. “I’m being completely fair and ethical here. I’m asking you to _teach_ it, not asking for permission to use it. I didn’t copy.”

The silver-haired man nodded with a small sigh. “Fair enough. But we start with _Chidori_ , as that’s the first step.”

Sasuke grinned. “So, about the chakra. You have Raiton like I do, so...”

Kakashi pouted under his mask. _‘Uchiha progenitor and Sage’s son or not, this is emberassing! So, so emberassing! I’m being lectured by my own student. Yamato, save me!‘_

* * *

Jiraiya hummed, as he looked at the precise writing of the blonde. “Perfect.“ he nodded, satisfied.

Naruto sighed a bit, letting the brush drop back into the small pot of ink. Who knew Jiraiya was so demanding and such a perfectionist, when he was actually serious about training? Of course, Naruto had his own standandard, but Jiraiya was even worse.

Seriously, the Gama Sannin could go an shake hands with his brother, if it came to perfectionism. (Did perhaps Jiraiya had some great-great-great-grandsomeone in his family, who had been an Uchiha?)

“Thank the Shinju.“ the blonde muttered, his hand cramped. He shifted and looked at the man.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at his words, but he didn’t say anything. “Now, I know, that you have Water and Earth for affnity...”

“Actually,“ Naruto cut in calmly, “It’s Water, Wind and Earth. And Sasuke has Lighting, Fire and Earth. For me Water and Earth are equal, Wind is a bit weaker. Sasuke’s Fire and Lightning are equal, coupled with a bit weaker Earth. But we are both working with all five elements. Or at least, trying to.”

The spymaster blinked and then nodded. “Well, okay. I can teach you about Suiton, altough if the account I heard was correct, you’re capable of using Suiton, like Tobirama-sama?”

Naruto shook his head. “Not yet. I would need the perfect control of a medic for that, due to my larger reserves, so further honing the ability of using moisture as a source, has to wait a bit, I think.”

Jiraiya sighed. “Fine. But I can help you with some Water jutsu. And if you really want to tamper with all five elements, we can start on the basic exercises for Lightning and Fire, too.”

Naruto stood along with the man and nodded. Now that he was calmer and more composed, it was actually nice being around him. And it seemed, that his words about family had hit right home with the Sannin, which was also a bonus.

“Sounds nice.“ he put his hand in a cross sign, creating ten Shadow Clones. He sent five to do chakra control, while he waved the five over to Jiraiya. “You can explain to the clones. Please. I’d go trough the usual warm up before a spar... because I have a feeling you want to see, what I can do.”

The man blinked owlishly. “Well... yeah. Alright. I-It would work too, I suppose.” he muttered, shocked.

What was up with those two? Both Naruto and Sasuke trained so seriously... he’d never seen anyone so driven and focused in times of peace. Those, who had grown up surrounded by war... it was one thing. But these two lived in a time of peace and they were preparing for _war_.

Alright, he knew better, than most among the higher-ups, how dangerous Akatsuki could prove in the future... but that didn’t mean an outright _war_ coming. Did it?

* * *

“Team Thirteen, you have a B-rank mission.“ Tsunade said, looking at the two young men. Kakashi and Yamato stood calmly behind the Tokujō.

“And it is?“ the Copy Nin asked calmly.

Tsunade handed them a folder, which Sasuke took. “Eliminate the slave traders spotted near the Land of Sound. Free their victims and escort them home.”

The Hokage noticed how sharply her part-time students’ gazes flashed. The eyes of men, who didn’t tolerate injustice. “Consider it done.”

And she did just that – considered the mission done the moment they left the office. _‘Now, back to paperwork. Kami-sama knows it piles up even more, when I leave to help those two train.‘_ she glared at her distant cousin’s portrait. _‘How the hell had you had any time for Kushina, Minato? What was your secret to finishing all that paperwork so fast? Somehow I doubt it has anything to do with the Hirashin... or Tobirama oji-san would have never spent a moment in this damnable office.‘_

* * *

Naruto groaned, falling into his bed, like a log. Tsunade oba-san was a slave-driver. And her punches hurt like hell – Hashirama’s granddaughter, without a doubt. Was this how Sasuke felt, when he used chakra-enchanced strenght in their spars? If so, he promised to use them less – or at least, pull some of the punches. If not for Kurama’s healing abilities, he wouldn’t have even stood up from the spot on the training ground, where he’d fallen.

 _‘You’re a life-saver, N_ _ī-sama.‘_ he said trough their link.

The fox cackled evilly. **“And your day’s not done yet. You promised to meet the two Hy** **ūga today.”**

“Shinju damn it...” he muttered. After a moment, he sat up with a sigh. “Nī-sama? Are you alive?” he drawled.

“Maybe.” his brother answered, his voice quiet. “Who knew Kakashi could be _that_ fast? He surely picked up something from your father. Or he uses lightning to enhance his speed. And he’s getting way too creative with Genjutsu. I should have never shown him that chakra trick.“ he muttered.

Naruto hummed. “Well, come on. We promised training to Hinata and Neji and I keep my promises.”

“Why _us_?“ Sasuke asked dramatically, as he wretched himself from the comforts of the couch. Naruto chuckled at that and after activating the security seals, they headed towards Training Ground Two – the spot they’d agreed to meet at.

When they arrived, Neji and Hinata were already there, conversing quietly. The sight caused both of them to smile a bit. Ever since that beatdown Neji had gotten a week ago, he was actually making an effort to bond with Hinata. Hinata, being the kind soul she was, had forgiven him fast and was just glad to have him back to his old, kinder self.

“Gomen.“ Naruto called sheepishly, as they approached. “We didn’t mean to be late. It’s just... Tsunade-sensei and Kashi-sensei can be slave-drivers, when they want to be. It’s a challenge sometimes, keeping up with them.”

“Ho-Hokage-sama is training y-you?“ Hinata asked, her eyes wide.

Naruto hummed. “She’s helping me learn medical Ninjutsu and she thought it high-time for me to learn the proper Senju Taijutsu, so... yes.”

“Oh, I see.”

“So,“ Sasuke spoke, “we thought about helping you with elemental manipulaton. Clues to your affinities?“

“Fire.“ Neji stated.

Sasuke smirked. “You’re coming with me, then. I’m sure we can work out a few tricks, that you can incorporate into your Gentle Fist as well. If you have chakra manipulation done, the sky is the limit.”

The two left and Naruto was left on his own, with Hinata. “Do you know your affinity, Hinata?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No N-Naruto-kun. I d-don’t know it y-yet.” she said softly, poking her fingers together.

Naruto took a deep breath. _‘Okay... that’s how far my patience runs. No cousin of mine will be a meek civilian.‘_

“Hinata.“ he called, as he sat down. She looked up at him.

“H-hai?“

“Do you want to be a kunoichi? A kunoichi, who can stand her ground and in the future, a Clan Head, whom her kin loves and respects?” he asked seriously.

Her eyes widened a bit at the questions, but she nodded without much hesitation. “Yes. I-I’ve long dreamt of uniting my Clan.”

Naruto raised an eyebrow. “Unite?”

She shook her head. “They’re all my family and I hate we’re so divided. We should be equals, because you can’t create a line, who you love more.”

Naruto smiled brightly. _‘Mitra’s words alright.‘_ “Exacly.“ he told her with a nod. “An admirable dream.” her eyes went wide at that, “That’s why you have to be strong. Not only as a kunoichi, but as a person. Don’t second-guess yourself, because if you second-guess yourself, so will others and that may undermine your credibility, both as a shinobi and as a leader. You understand?”

She nodded. “Hai.”

The blonde smiled and took a piece of paper from his pocket. “Push your chakra into this and we’ll see what’s your affinity.” she took it from him and pushed her chakra into it, causing the paper to crumble.

“Hm, Earth. Typically Hyūga.“ he nodded. “So the thing you have to know about Earth as an element – it’s firm and stable. A defensive element and sometimes, who link emotions to the five base elements, say that it’s for resolve. Because you decide something and no matter, what you stand by it and go trough with it.”

She nodded. “I see.”

Naruto smiled. “So. To get a better grasp, you’ll have to understand your own emotions first. Think of your dream and why you want it to come true. Then, grab for it. Decide if you want it or not. if yes, then hold onto it and no matter what, _don’t let go_.”

* * *

“Fire is an offensive element, which reflects strong emotions. In fact, your emotions change how your chakra reacts, so it also affects your jutsu.“ Sasuke said, “So... my advice is, never – _ever_ – think of negativity, when working with fire or your own jutsu may backfire.”

Neji nodded. “I see.”

“Best is to keep a clear mind, but there are times when you can’t do that, so focus instead on the positive side of your objective. Protecting the people, who matter or making it home, because there’s someone, who’s waiting and they would be devastated, if you died.”

Sasuke hummed and did a few rapid signs. **“Katon: Moeru Hari.”** (Fire Release: Burning Needes)

Flames formed in his hands, that sneaked up onto his fingers, creating tiny needles on each end. Neji’s eyes widened. “It... this is similar to how we use Jūken!”

Sasuke nodded. “Yeah. I created this one based on Mitra’s fighting style. Now, since you have even better control of your chakra than I do, you may limit the flames, but still make your chakra searing hot, which would be extra damage to your enemy, as the fire chakra would literally burn his coils. But, this is crippling... so use it in life-on-the-line situations.”

“Understood.” the Hyūga nodded, his face serious.

Sasuke hummed. “The seals for the jutsu are _Tiger, Bird, Dog, Tiger_. You won’t have a chance to use the seals every time before you may be engaged, so I want you to master this. Make the jutsu a second-nature and if that works, you can modify it to your needs and liking.”

Neji blinked at him. “Mo-modify it? But you just said you created it...”

Sasuke nodded. “Yes and I’m giving you permission to use it. Altough, don’t be surprised, if next time we spar, I’m using this against you or Hinata.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Sasuke – Indra?“ he asked with a raised eyebrow.

The Uchiha waved him off. “Sasuke. Wouldn’t want to raise suspicion, right? Besides, there’s a fucker from long ago, who knows that name. He would figure out who we are and that’s dangerous.“ he said quietly.

“No human lives that long.“ Neji pointed out with disbelief. “Even you... you just _remember_. It’s not the same.”

Sasuke sighed. “The one I’m talking about is not exactly human, so yes, he – it?– lives that long.”

“Not human? Than _what else_ could it possibly be?”

Sasuke snorted in amusement. “You sound way too shocked. Our grandmother was not of this world – she was, what you would call and alien, I suppose. A foreigner to the world of humans. While our grandfater was human, our father and uncle retained none of the typical human traits. Myself, Asura and our cousins were the first Ōtsutsuki to look entirely human.”

Neji groaned. “Holy mother of chakra.”

“Hey. That’s my grandmother you’re badmouthing, Hyūga.“ he warned with a sharp look. “And while her love for humanity disappeared over the years, its thanks to her and our father, that this world knows what _chakra_ is. So no badmouthing her.”

“My apologies.”

Sasuke nodded, looking at Neji’s hands. “So. Let me see that jutsu. And if you get that done, I’ll show you a trick to keep your chakra in balance.”

* * *

Narto smiled as Hinata suceeded with the exercise. “Well done, Hinata. Now, come on, let’s spar.“

Hinata smiled and stood up. She took her stance and Naruto did the same. “And remember. Now, I’m _not_ a fellow Konoha shinobi. I’m _not_ someone you know. I’m an _enemy_. I’m here to harm your sister and Neji. Fight as if their lives depended on it. Don’t pull your strikes.”

She nodded, her eyes steeling over. “H-hai.“ she still seemed a bit unsure, but his words seemed to be having an effect, so that was good.

Then, without a warning, he, punched the ground, breaking it up and forcing her to leap away. Using the cover of the dust, he Shunshined next to her – but it seemed, he moment his punch had connected, she’d activated her Byakugan,– so she was waiting prepared.

He attacked, but she evaded swiftly, using her smaller body to duck under his attack, before trying to deliver her own strikes.

* * *

Naruto blinked at Jiraiya, scandalised even at the very idea. “You want me to _what_?”

The Sannin sighed. “Come on Naruto. You’ve kept putting this off, ever since we started training. You have to learn it sometime.”

Naruto shook his head. If he used Kurama’s chakra, it would just give Madara and his subordinates a chance to steal his oldest brother’s power easier. His new seal was tighter, than the one his father had used, yet it still allowed Kurama to sense the outside world. Kurama was safe in there and that was all, that mattered.

He shook his head. “I will not use the Fox’s chakra.” he stated calmly.

Jiraiya groaned. “Naruto, _please_. You have to understand, that we have no ways of combating Jinchūriki – only someone with a Bijū of their own can do that. Kumo and Iwa train their Jinchūriki, as the village’s most dangerous, last resort weapons. Kiri had done something similar, before the Bloodnine Wars created the bloody mess, which the village is, at the moment.”

Naruto frowned. “My Mokuton is powerful enough to restain them. No need to fight them.“

 _‘I will **not** fight my own siblings, Sannin. No matter what you say, I’m still an __Ōtsutsuki at heart and family comes first. Family and peace. Your suggestion indicates, that you want me as a trump card, too. Well, the **village** wants me as such, that is.‘_ he thought.

Jiraiya frowned. “Look kid... I get it. You’re a bloody _pacifist_ – even more than the Shodai and Minato were, combined, which is a feat. I understand that too, that you freaking see that Fox in you as a living...”

“He _is_ a living creature with feelings of his own.” Naruto cut in sharply.

Jiraiya grunted. “Okay, yes. But that feeling creature will be discorporated if you die. Or if you’re captured by Akatsuki, something _worse_ may happen. Use the power you have, because you know what for do you need it. To _protect_ what you believe right. Akatsuki will use that power to _destroy_. So, which one?”

Naruto scowled. “I...”

 **“The pervert is correct for once, Asura-kun.“** Kurama said. **“You’ve used my chakra before. I know, that I can trust you, as my brother. I rather have _you_ borrowing some of my chakra – or Indra, if needed– than anyone else. I understand now, that what you two are doing is as much for the safety of the world Ot** **ō-sama loved so much, as it is for our safety. I don’t need protecting, little one. I’m strong enough to do it for myself.”**

 _‘But the Uchihas are powerful enough to contol you. You can’t resist the Sharingan forever and you know it.‘_ Naruto pointed out matter-of-factly.

 **“Alone? No. Together. If we work together, yes. This seal you made protects me and if continoued survival means _you_ using my chakra... it’s alright. Take what you need. We’re siblings. We help each other. And I want to help protect this world too –the humans hadn’t been nice to me, after you were gone... but Ot** **ō-sama loved this world. And we ought to honour his wishes.”**

 _‘Yes, we ought to.‘_ he agreed softly.

He huffed and nodded to the Sannin, his hand rising into a Snake seal. Then he crouched down and slammed his hand on the ground. **“Mokton: Kemono no Jinja!”** (Wood Release: Shrine of the Beast)

A circular platform with six wooden poles rose from the ground, the poles having carvings of what seemed to be unfinished seals all around.

Jiraiya blinked. “What’s this for?”

Naruto shrugged and walked over, sitting in the middle of his new wooden creation. “Just to be safe. I wouldn’t want to lose my head.”

He sighed and closed his eyes. After a moment, he cracked his right eye open to peer at the seal master. “Get a containment seal ready, for the worst of cases. Just to be safe. I’m not sure how much my body can take, before shutting down.”

The man peered at him with narrowed eyes, suspicion rearing its head amongst his emotions. Naruto sighed and closed his eyes instead of engaging the man in a pointless conversation. He would not explain anything to Jiraiya – he wasn’t sure the man could take the information in a serious manner.

Besides, the less people knew, the better. Maybe... maybe there were too many, who knew the truth of him and Sasuke already. He couldn’t risk making a possible target out of someone, who _could_ go on with life, without knowing the truths of Ninshū.

He closed his eyes and dived head-first into his subconscious. The calm, bright clearing that was a nice change, compared to Konoha’s loud, busy streets. Kurama was sitting up, already waiting for him. Naruto walked up to the fox and smiled, dipping his head. “Nī-sama.”

 **“Asura-kun.”** Kurama greeted, his tone more pleasant, now that he was here, visiting.

“How much do you think I can handle now?” Naruto mused out loud. “Six?”

Kurama nodded. **“Possible. Altough, your body is still developing, so I wouldn’t push it. However, if there is a true need for it, I’m sure we could work in tandem, like before. Of course, you won’t be able to form Varuna just yet – not without the others giving you some of their chakra–, but...”**

“It’s fine.“ he waved him off. “I just would like to know how much I can handle at the moment.”

Kurama nodded. **“Very well, Ot** **ōto.“** he said, offering a fisted paw.

Naruto grinned brightly and bumped his own fist to the soft, fur-like chakra. The chakra, that suddenly filled his system was wild and sharp like wind and as searing, as the hottest of fires. It basked his body in an orange-red light, the cloack forming slowly, taking shape heartbeat by heartbeat.

When he opened his eyes, returning to the real world, Kurama’s chakra blazing around him and sharpening his senses ten times to their usual level, he saw Jiraiya.

The man was as unmoving as a rock, every muscle in his body ready to spring from his spot, his dark eyes narrowed, searching for the smallest sign of lost control. As their eyes met, he saw the frown, worried and vary all at once. So, his eyes were red.

 **“Three tails is okay.“** Kurama murmured. **“Try pulling out more, but careful or it might burn you.”**

Nodding mentally, Naruto carefully tugged at the link they shared let more of the foreign chakra flood his bloody.

* * *

Jiraiya watched, his whole body tense, as Naruto took a meditative pose, probably already sinking into his seal. For several minutes nothing happened and he thought the kid might fail – Kushina herself admitted, that using the Fox’s chakra wasn’t easy, despite the fact, that she had her chains, which helped restrain it and thus, give her a better chance of remaining aware of her surroundings, while undergoing the usual Jinchūriki transformation.

However, much to his shock, just when he was about to call out to Naruto to stop, chakra rose – no, it burst out of his body, like a fountain. The next minute, his body was covered by boling, seemingly living shroud of orange-red chakra, three tails waving behind him.

 _‘What the hell?! Three at once? On the first try! Is it because of his Mokuton?‘_ Jiraiya thought in shock. The six whiskers were darker, more easy to see, his teeth sharpening into fangs, which peered out from his mouth...Then, Naruto opened his eyes to reveal bright red slits and he tensed for a second, fearing the worst.

But there was nothing. There was no beastly bloodlust in the gaze. Those were the Fox’s eyes yes, but it was Naruto, who was looking at him. ‘ _Amazing! He can really control it!‘_

There was fluctuation in the chakra and Jiraiya was snapped from his musings. His eyes went wide, as he saw more tails forming. One. Two Three more, until a total _six_ were visible behind the blonde. Half his body was covered in solid, blackish red chakra, resembling a grotesque shadow of the Kyūbi, while the other half of his body was still visible under the orange chakra.

He noticed another stub growing – a seventh chakra tail forming and then Naruto groaned and faster, than Jiraiya could react, the carvings on the wood surrounding Naruto glowed and vines grew from the platform to warp around his legs and arms. The chakra sizzled, like boiling water and then it gradually disappeared.

Naruto groaned again, falling on his back. “ _Shit_. That’s just six tails. My body can’t take the seventh.” he sounded disappointed.

Jiraiya couldn’t understand _why_. “By the Sage’s beard! That was amazing, kid! I don’t know what’s your problem. You performed much better, than I thought, considering other Jinchūriki need months to reach this level.”

Naruto glared at him, his eyes still slit, although violet. Probably the leftover chakra. “Could you please _refrain_ from _cursing_?“

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. Kami knows the blonde was growing to be too much like Tsunade.

* * *

Sasuke wrinkled his nose, as it failed again. Having been the Prodigy of Ninshū, he was rather unused to failure. True, ever since they remembered it was different. He failed more often as he had to re-learn everything he’d once known and used. Still, failing such a simple chakra control exercise was not something he was too happy about. Compared to the amount of control he had had over his chakra before, he was still lacking.

“Not bad.“ Tsunade spoke, a surprised and pleased expression on her face. “You may never be a medic, as your chakra is too volatile for that... but despite that, your control has places to grow and I addmit, you’re progressing faster, than I thought you would.”

Sasuke nodded, not showing his irritation at the failure. “Thank you, sensei.” he said calmly.

“Hm, have you thought about using poisons?“ she asked.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry?”

“You don’t wish to pursue a medical carreer, which I understand. But we’re shinobi. Supposed assassins. Poison is a good way and your Sharingan gives you quick reaction time and higher accuracy, than most –bar the Hyūga. Using and knowing your poisons may be benefical. And knowing how to counter them. Naruto may be the medic, but he may not always be there with you or your comarde.”

Sasuke fell thoughtful – poison was a subtle, underhanded weapon. The weapon of a liar... but the world was no longer as straight and simple, as it had been, at the Dawn of Chakra. Besides, if Tsunade taught him about poisons, he would know the antitodes too, which could come in handy, if Naruto wasn’t around. Besides, he knew his plants well enough. (You couldn’t _not_ know plants, when gardening was your brother’s hobby and let’s not mention said brother’s ability to _grow_ plants...)

“Poisons... sounds interesting enough.” he commented, with an upward quirk of his lips.

Tsunade’s eyes glinted. “Wonderful. So finish another round of the chakra control exercise and while you rest, Shizune will help you with poisons. Unfortunately, I have to leave to do paperwork, but tomorrow I’m quizing you on the poisons and the symphtomps. As well as their antitodes.”

“ _How_ I’m supposed to remember all that for tomorrow?“ he bit out, half annoyed, half disbelieving. Gods above, as much as he respected the woman as a shinobi... she was _annoying_. More annoying, than his brother.

Tsunade quirked an eyebrow, which was a bit too close to Asura’s, for his liking. “You have eidetic memory, don’t you?“

Sasuke growled. _‘I **so** didn’t sign up for this!‘_

He resisted the urge to send several _Raibari_ after the Senju, when he noticed the smugness flash in her eyes, as she darted back into the office. He resisted it – but just barely.

* * *

Naruto shook his head at Yamato. “No, _no_. You get to be in tune with nature. I know you aren’t a Senju and that Mokuton was never supposed to be yours... but _use_ it, if you have it.“ he sighed and sat opposite from Yamato.

The man was, theorically teaching him Mokuton jutsu – that was that Tsunade and Jiraiya believed. But in fact, _he_ was teaching the former ANBU how to handle his abilities with more deadliness and precision.

“Nature has an energy of its own. Mokuton connects us to that energy more, than any sort of Senjutsu can. That and there’s a part in our chakra, that enables creation. It’s these two things, that make up the Kekkei Genkai itself, so you need to calm down and try _feeling_ nature around you. You understand what I’m getting at?”

Yamato seemed toughtful for a moment, before nodding. “I think so.” he nodded hesitantly.

Naruto smiled and extended a hand. “Give me your hand. You may have an easier time trying to pull my chakra into the mix, as it is more potent. It may help you with the feeling as well. Once you have that, your chakra will remember it. Chakra remembers and it will leave a vague feeling, the shadow od a memory. Using that shadow, you may have easier time using the technique, until you pratice it enough to _actually_ know it.”

”I see. It sounds interesting.” Yamato took his hand and Naruto smiled, allowing his chakra to slowly tickle trough their link.

“Chakra is connection. It’s _understanding_ – understanding yourself, others and the world around you. And when you understand, you can connect. Those connections make it possible to reach wonderous things, as a part of our power comes from our souls and minds.” the blone murmured.

He sat there and allowed Yamato to take his time. They’d been going trough this for the past two days and now... now he was sure the former ANBU finally caught the concept. The concept of Ninshū, as much as the concept of the jutsu they were working on.

He felt Yamato mould his chakra and he did a few one-handed signs, before placing his hand on the ground and channeling his chakra into it. **“Mokuton: Shokuchūshokubutsu.”** (Wood Release: Carnivorous Plant)

The ground between them cracked and a venus flytrap grew from the soil, a lively green with accents of redish-pink and it was as big as an average eight-year-old child. It was dangerously beautiful, as it opened its maw, ready to strike.

Naruto grinned. “See? Told you it will work. Now we’ll just have to refine it, so you can use it alone and possibly on a bigger target.”

Yamato smiled and squeezed his hand.

* * *

Neji cursed colorfully in the privacy of his mind, as Naruto’s blow sent him flying. The blonde’s hits broke bone and he was sure he’d need medical attention, once this session was over. (Good thing Naruto could heal or both him and Hinata would have spent half their days under the hands of Tsunade-sama and that would have raised questions. Even _more_ questions, than their random disappearances these days...)

He shifted, trying to land in a way, that would cause less problems. However, he wasn’t lucky and as he rolled, he felt the ground srape even the metal of his headband. He felt the skin break and blood bubble up. _‘Damn it! It hurts like hell.‘_ he groaned mentally.

“Neji-nī!” Hinata squeeked from the sidelines. Ever since they came here to train with Naruto and Sasuke he saw the change in her.

She was improving in her Jūken and from time to time Sasuke and Naruto showed them a new kata or combo – ones that neither of them knew, yet he was _sure_ were part of the Jūken. Perhaps time had cut the number of kata, that had been recorded and what the two were showing them, were among the original ones, used by Hamura and Mitra Ōtsutsuki?

She was improving as a fighter and with her skill, so grew her confidence. Notch by notch, but it was growing. She was stuttering less and less and she was now speaking louder. Well, around them, that is –for now, back at the Compound, she was still feeling insecure, so she often reverted back to her shy self, but she was speaking up more and more and Neji knew that the Clan, especially her father, were picking up the subtle changes.

Neji groaned, as he felt the pain shoot trough his body, like a sharp blade, as he shifted. Soon, he felt, rather than saw, as the three appeared around him. He saw Hinata’s wide, worried eyes as well as Sasuke’s much subtler, concerned frowned. (It was odd. Ever since he knew, who the two were, it was easier to understand them and it helped connecting. The more time they spent together, the more he felt, that the two were his – their– friends. Hinata... Hinata was becoming more and more like a sister.)

Naruto cursed under his breath – something about the moon – and he felt the warm chakra enter his body. Immediately, the sharp pain started to dull and it was easier to breath. Naruto reached for his headband. “We must check that head wound...” despite his pain, Neji’s hand shot to catch the blonde’s wrist. He didn’t want Naruto to see _it_. “Don’t.”

Naruto scowled at him and twisted his wrist out of his loose hold. “Don’t be _ridiculous_ , Neji. I can heal you and you know it.”

He didn’t have the energy to tell the blonde, that it wasn’t his healing abilities, that he doubted. Naruto removed his hitai ite and used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe away the blood. Naruto went stiff and Neji felt shame creeping up on his spine.

“What is _that_ on your forehead?“ the blonde asked, his voice calm and cool, but Neji sensed it. Such a tone from the usually jovial Senju meant danger.

“It’s the _Caged Bird Seal_.“ he whispered softly.

“ ** _Explain_**.” Sasuke barked, his voice cracking like thunder and as Neji slowly sat up, leaning on Naruto, he knew they had no chance, but to tell the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading.:3 As always, leave comments and share your thoughts. Your comments are my lifesblood.


	36. Birds and Fish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and a special mention of 🎉🎊 Ajvie 🎉🎊 who was the 160th person to bookmark this story. Thank you very much, dear! I hope you will enjoy the rest of the story as well!

After Neji and Hinata were done explaining the purpose and the brief history of the Seal, Sasuke felt like marching over to the _supposedly all-seeing bastards_ and torching a few (or a lot) of them. And this was _him_. He usually didn’t get worked up – that was what his brother was here for. Naruto got emotional enough for the both of them. He needed all his famous Ōtsutsuki/Uchiha stoicism not to turn on his heels and march into Hyūga grounds with blazing Mangekyō.

Naruto... well, Naruto was having a very, _very_ hard time not letting all his chakra out and Sasuke could hear Kurama’s curses too. Their Bijū brother was inventing very colourful words about certain humans and how said humans had the balls to twist their father’s Ninshū.

After a solid five minutes of cursing (he definitely cursed like a sailor, or like someone, who’d once lived near the Red Light District), Naruto took a deep breath and his eyes fluttered closed. Sasuke looked at the two Hyūga, who were both red in the face after hearing his brother’s choice of words, directed at certain members of their Clan.

Naruto helped Neji up and he nodded to Hinata as well. “You two are coming.” was all he said, his tone clipped.

* * *

Sasuke wasn’t even surprised, when Naruto gave him instructions how to check Neji’s wound and how to apply a bit of chakra to help along the healing, before disappearing into the library. Namely, into the biggest untouched-in-generations library of the village, as they were sitting in the living room of the empty Main House of the Senju District. The place, where three out of five Hokage had dwellt, in their own times.

“Why are we here?“ Hinata asked softly, as she watched him treat Neji. “I thought this place wasn’t used anymore?”

“It’s not.“ Sasuke said. “Tsunade lives in the Hokage Residence and we live in the appartment, that Naruto’s father had owned while alive. But many of the Senjus’ documents are here for safekeeping. Even documents and jutsu from the Uzumaki Clan, either brought here by Mito-hime or by my godmother, when she fled Uzu’s fall.”

Neji raised an eyebrow at him. “Naruto’s mother was your godmother?”

Sasuke hummed, amused at the shocked expression on the older boy’s face. “Aye, she was.”

When he was done with the wound’s cleaning and healing, Neji put his headband back. For several minutes, there was a heavy, awkwards silence between them and Sasuke wished his brother would hurry up, because...

“I got it!” came the echoing call from somewhere on the other side of the sizeable house.

Sasuke huffed, shaking his head, as he heard Naruto running back to them. He had a victorious grin on his face, altough his violet eyes were calling for blood. “I got it!” he said triumphantly, waving an elborate swirl patterned scroll container.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. “What is that?”

Naruto tossed it at him and he caught it in the air, as Naruto glided over to Neji, saying he wanted to have a look at his wounds. Sasuke wasn’t offened at all – he was crap, when it came to healing. While his brother fussed around the Hyūga, Sasuke gently peeled the document out of its holder and rolled it out.

**_A Blood Contract between the Uzumaki Clan of Uzushiogakure and the Hyūga Clan of Konohagakure_ **

Sasuke blinked at the title and carefully rolled out the obviously ancient document. As he read it, his eyes went wide. The _Caged Bird Seal_ was an Uzumaki creation? Specifically requested by the Hyūga and here, in this scroll everything about the seal was written down, to the last dot. The application and its removal as well as the conditions of its use.

And by the looks of it, _enslavement_ wasn’t on the list of approved usage. Sasuke wanted to know when had Naruto found this and where, but it didn’t matter much. Not now. What mattered, that with this, they could place the Hyūga in a choke hold, useless they wanted to face serious reprecussions.

Sasuke’s eyes snapped up from the scroll, as he heard a painful hiss.

* * *

Naruto checked Neji’s wound and then sighed, satisfied. “Nothing serious. Just don’t train tomorrow. Take it easy.”

“Alright.”

“Now, I need you to stay still. As motionless, as you can be. I will apply some chakra to your seal and no, I won’t activate it, I give you my word. It will just be to show the whole thing – to show it’s hidden _shikki_.” he explained calmly. Neji looked unsure for a moment and Naruto felt bad. No doubt, because each time chakra was put into the seal, he had felt immense pain. “I swear on the kami, it won’t hurt. It will sting, but it will be a fleeting thing.”

“I think we can trust him Neji-nī. Let him.“ Hinata siad quietly. Neji gave her a long look, before the pale eyes turned to him, boring into his own violet.

“Do it.”

Naruto gave him and encouraging smile. “Close your eyes, please.” as Neji did so, Naruto placed a hand on Neji’s forehead and pushed some chakra into the seal.

The black lines lit up and Neji hissed in pain. Naruto immediately felt bad, but it was soon gone, as it was replaced by a feeling of vicotry as the complete array appeared, the intricate symbols spereading across his face.

Naruto didn’t take his eyes off off the many symbols, as he reached towards Sasuke. “Nī-sama, the scroll, if you would.” Sasuke placed it into his hand and Naruto looked down at the very bottom of the paper, where the prototype of the seal was drawn.

His eyes narrowed and then he looked back at Neji’s face. It was different. But... “Nī-sama, come, have a look. Your Sharingan is perfect for this sort of thing. Is there a difference between the two seals? I think so, but perhaps it’s just the smuggled ink...”

Sasuke slipped from his seat and studied the scroll for a bit, before looking at the seal on Neji’s face. “It is different. And it’s not just a symbol or two, like an adjustment over time. There’s an entire layer on it, that is not on the scroll. You’re the Fūinjutsu expert, but that top layer seems to be a newer addition, rather clumsy, compared to the rest.”

Naruto snarled. “I’m _so_ gutting someone today.” He took a deep breath, as he felt Kurama’s own chakra rising at his volatile emotions. He applied a brust of chakra and the symbols disappeared from Neji’s face. “Arigato, Neji. You can readjust your headband now.”

Naruto rolled up the scroll he was holding and slowly stood up. As he looked at his brother he saw the Sharingan flash sinisterly. “How about we visit our most beloved cousins, Otōto?”

* * *

Hyūga Hiashi was a calm man, who knew the value of hiding ones emotions. However, he couldn’t help, but look surprised, when one of the guards from the gate appeared in his study and told him, that Uchiha Sasuke and Senju-Uzumaki Naruto were here and that they wanted to speak with him without delay.

Hiashi briefly wondered what his former classmates’ sons wanted from him. True, with their promotion – Tokubetsu Jōnin on the spot, wasn’t that a surprise? – they were both considered adults and thus, Heads of their respective Clans. (Well at least Naruto was Head of the Uzumaki, as technically, with Tsunade alive, he was only the Heir of the Senju.) But the two were Clan Heads anyway, the youngest in Konoha’s history so far.

“I will see them.” he said. The guard was gone in a _Shunshin_ and Hiashi took his time to arrange his paperwork, knowing that probably, he wouldn’t be doing anything else today.

After several minutes, the two Tokubetsu Jōnin walked in, flanked by his elder daughter and nephew. Huh, what a surprise –from what he’d gathered, the two boys were rather detached from those their age and only associated with each other and their former senseis.

Neji seemed winded as did Hinata. Had they been training? But why outside the Compound then? “Hyūga-dono.” the boys’ voices were oddly frosty. Frosty even for a son of Uchiha Fugaku and that was a true feat.

“Uzumaki-dono, Uchiha-dono. What brings you here?”

Naruto held up a scroll. “Clan business of the most serious nature.” his voice was almost terrifyingly like Minato’s had been, when he had been angry. What could have possibly pissed off these two? He didn’t remember doing anything and while the Elders had been loud about the boys’ promotion and the possibility of their political power expanding, he’d brushed it aside.

The two were shinobi – promising shinobi of the future, not budding politicans. And while he’d heard from Hinata, that Naruto’s dream was to be Hokage, he doubted that dream would come true. Despite the reveal of his heritage and his Mokuton, some still saw the blonde as the Kyūbi itself, rather than just the container. Hiashi was sure those people would do everything in their power to undermine the blonde’s future political advances.

He waved the two to sit and looked at his daughter and nephew. “You may leave.”

“Neji _stays_.“ the Uchiha stated, his tone commanding and regal. Now that he thought about it, both of them were way too composed and regal for their age.

Hiashi’s eyes narrowed a bit, but the Uchiha matched his gaze without a twitch and Hiashi had to supress a dreadful shiver, as he was met with the boy’s Sharingan. There was power behind those eyes – power, that he had never felt from other Uchiha, in all his life.

He nodded to his nephew and he watched Hinata slip out, after giving a smile to Neji. These past weeks it seemed Neji had been less distant with her and they spent much more time together. What may have brought this change? The door closed and Neji remained lingering by the door.

“Why is it you asked for this meeting?“ he asked.

“Tell me, Hyūga-dono, do you know what are the consequences of breaking a Blood Contract?“ Naruto asked, as he moved his hand, revealing a fancy, old scroll container. What was in that?

Hiashi moved his gaze from the red container and looked the blonde in the eyes. (Kami, his violet eyes were just as deadly and fiery as Kushina’s had been. He surely had that deadly Uzumaki temper burried in him somewhere.) “That usually depends on the contents of the Contract... but means severe loss of political power as well as a damaged image and prejudice for the one, who broke contract.” he said calmly.

Well at least, he appreared calmly. On the inside, he was getting more and more nervous. What was this all about and why were they so interested in a Blood Contract?

“If you know the consequences, then why break one?“ the Uchiha asked.

Hiashi’s pale eyes narrowed. “Careful what you say under my roof, Uchiha. I broke no contract – I didn’t even _make_ one.”

“ _You_ didn’t.“ Naruto nodded, “But one of your predecessors did and you broke that contract, Shinju only knows when. Time to pay the price for that. Abusing other Clans’ techinques, that were created on request and improved in the sign of good faith, is a very, _very_ bad idea.“ he said coldly, sliding over the scroll case, Killing Intent leaking from him.

Now Hiashi was on edge. They march in here and accuse him of breaking a contract he hadn’t made and now they were treathening him? This was pushing it, descendants of the Founders or not.

Still, he took the scroll that was being offered and took it from the case. He hesitated only for a moment, as he saw the boys’ eyes flash. Then, he slowly unrolled it and started reading. His blood froze, as he realised what it was.

A Blood Contract between his Clan and the Uzumaki. About the Caged Bird Seal.

Hiashi couldn’t help, but curse in the privacy of his mind – the kid had redone Minato’s seal with only supervision from Jiraiya. Which meant, the boy was _at least_ Uzumaki-level proficient in Fūinjutsu. His eyes flickered to Neji, who was still waiting patiently, his eyes ocassionally flickering to the Uchiha in shock.

Hiashi sallowed hard, as he read the scroll. ‘ _Damn those megalomaniac Elders. If Naruto takes this to the Hokage, she will support him, as family. And politically too, as I know many despise the use of the seal within the village. They’ll surely have the Shinobi Council’s support and that would be devastatig for the Clan. Even if the Elders insist on leaving Konoha... no, that’s not an opinion. Despite everything, Konoha is the safest place for us all. The other Great Villages had been trying to get both the Byakugan and the Sharingan since the Founding.‘_

“What are your terms, Uzumaki-dono?“ he asked, dreading the answer. He knew that the next words would be the deciding factor.

“Remove this seal.” he stated, tone clipped and leaving no room for argument.

Hiashi’s eyes narrowed. “The safety and the secrets of the Byakugan are at stake...”

“And shouldn’t all of you have a Seal then?“ the Uchiha asked, eyes narrowed. “Don’t think we don’t know – or remember– that one time, when Kumo tried kidnapping Hinata. She is without a seal and had Kumo suceeded, your Seal is _useless_.”

Hiashi winced inwardly at how true Sasuke’s words were. He remembered fearing for his daughter as a father and fearing for his Clan’s secrets and future, as a Clan Head.

Naruto growled, his eyes narrowing into fox-like slits and Hiashi was afraid he might lose it... but instead he was blasted with powerful Killing Intent. Thick and opressive he wouldn’t have thought he’d feel from a boy like the blonde, no matter how talented. And he knew it wasn’t his tenant’s KI, as he remembered how it had felt...

“That seal is _unethical_. I understand, that you wish to protect your Kekkei Genkai and Clan by using it. But what family considers their cousins or uncles their _servants_?“ he growled. “Besides, if you or Hinata or Hanabi were taken, any fucker could get the Byakugan, seal or no.”

“Would you want one of your daghters branded, like a piece of kettle?“ the Uchiha asked. “And choose, then. Which of them? Hinata, because she is a kind heart and your Elders don’t approve of her caring nature and revolutionary ways? Or should it be Hanabi, once Hinata is the Head, only because she is _younger_?”

Hiashi almost looked away. Hizashi had been branded only because he was hours younger – and after his twin’s death, Neji had changed. The Elders had approved of the change in the boy, but Hiashi wasn’t happy. Neji had been as kind as his father, a boy who was joy to be around. And then, after the mess with Kumo, everything had changed.

Only because Hizashi had chosen to sacrifice himself. So _he_ could be safe. He remembered promising his brother to take care of Neji... but he hadn’t. _Not realy_. The boy had changed and he’d been sinking deeper and deeper into a sort of darkness Hiashi believed only the Uchiha had had in them. (Who hadn’t heard the rumours of the Uchihas’ Curse?) And it was a terrifying thing to watch. Only for his nephew to change after the Chūnin Exams.

After he’d faced Senju Naruto. After he’d had an encounter with Uchiha Sasuke, if what he’d heard from Gai was true. These two had changed Neji – they brought him back to what he had been, as a child. And now, his nephew was making an effort to be kinder and more considerate to the other Branch members. He was spendnig more time with Hinata and from what he understood, they were training together. And she was improving – he wasn’t blind. Step by step, Hinata was improving and gaining confidence. Turning into a kunoichi, whom the Elders would approve of.

Because Neji was helping her.

Because these boys had helped Neji... and now, they were helping Hinata. (And he wasn’t a fool. He’d heard Hinata say, that if she were made Head, she’d abolish the Seal, so neither Neji nor Hanabi would ever have to fear.) Thinking of his daughters was also painful – ever since Hinata started improving and gaining confidence, Hanabi was growing more and more distant. More and more deseperate with every spar.

Was it worth? A lifetime of tradition he himself despised, for it had put a wedge between him and Hiazashi... was that tradition worth a blood feud? Worth ridicule? Worth tearing apart his own family even more? He was no fool. Both of his daughters feared being Sealed...for one reason or another. That fear was driving them apart, that Seal was driving them apart, as it had driven him and Hizashi apart.

His eyes flickered to Neji and... that look in his eyes almost broke him. Neji was looking at these boys with _hope_. As if they were more, than what one could understand.

“Well, Hyūga-dono?“ Naruto asked, rising an eyebrow. “Will you let me remove those seals? Or is your tradition worth a blood feud? No village will take in a Clan, that has an ongoing blood feud, even if you leave. Your Clan will fall apart physically as fallen apart they are mentally. No family survives being devided.”

“And one day...“ the Uchiha said, tone low, “the kicked dogs will have enough and bite back. One day, maybe not under your rule of your one of your daughter’s... but one day, the Branch House _will_ have enough and not heeding the pain, they will attack. _They will retailiate_. But tell me, what becomes of a family, if the parents teach their children to _hate_? It’s not love and unity you are showing those within your Clan. It’s hate and fear. Hate, prejudice and fear brought the fall of my kin. Do you want it to happen to you as well? _Hyūga Clan Downfall_... catchy name, no? Sound catchier, than Uchiha, even.”

Hiashi could not sit here and listen. Not anymore. He would not let the same thing happen to his Clan, that had happened to the Uchiha. They were one of the five Ancient Clans – along with Uzumaki, Senju, Uchiha and Kaguya– if the legends were true. Four of the five were almost extinct and only the Hyūga remained united. But for how long?

The Uchiha had been numerous and united a decade ago and it only took a single spark...

They were a family and it was time to act like one. The Elders will chew him for this, but fine. He’ll deal with them –for his Clan. For every single member of his family. He had let the Elders get away with too many things, for too long. (It was time to make his wife’s dream come true. The dream of a united family, which Hinata had seemingly inherited, if what he’d caught from her and Neji’s conversation a while ago, was true.)

Time to act, like the Clan Head he was.

He looked down at the scroll. The scroll, which had the _real_ Caged Bird Seal. The one, which was meant to _protect_ , not divide.

He offered the scroll back to the blonde. “How much time would it take to remove the current seals and redo this, original one, for _all_ of us?”

The pleased expression on the boys’ faces was odd to see. As if they had been struggling for something, that was personal for them as much, as it was personal for him. Still, the hardest... it was Neji, whose look was the hardest to stand.

Shock, hope, disbelief even more hope... and was that a spark of affection? Was he seeing the true Neji again, after all this time?

Yes, he decided. Let his father and the other Elders scream as much, as they wanted. He would not stand by and watch his Clan – his _family_ – be destroyed from the inside because of a bunch of megalomaniac, tradition-loving old geezers. When Hizashi had died, he had sworn never to be a Head and a father, like their own had been. Up till now, he had failed that promise.

But now, it was time to start fulfilling it. Time to be a Head and a father his family deserved.

* * *

Neji couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his face, as he escorted the brothers out, to the edge of the Clan District. Naruto was smiling at him. “Soon, Neji. Soon you’ll be _free_. I think it would take a few days for your uncle to make the old coots understand, that it’s time to change... but by the end, he seemed as determined to bring change, as Hinata.”

 _‘Free as a bird. Trully free, not confined into a glided cage.‘_ he thought, hope blazing in his heart.

He stopped at the very edge of the district, his feet brushing the invisible line, which marked Hyūga property. The two had passed and were now technically outside, so he could leave, but...

“Thank you for helping.“ he said quietly.

Naruto smiled, waving a hand. “Think nothing of it. It was the right thing to do.”

“We’re all family, after all.” Sasuke pointed out. “Even if no one in your Clan knows it. Uchiha, Uzumaki, Senju, Hyūga, Kaguya – we had once been siblings and cousins, who carried the same name. We’re family and family sticks together.”

He smiled at them and bowed. “Arigato, Asura-sama, Indra-sama.” he said quietly

“ _Maa_ , we’re family.” Naruto said with an eyeroll, bringing him into a spontaneous, short hug. “Don’t give us that.”

A moment later he was free and a bit... shocked. Sasuke’s black eyes were glinting, amued at his shock as much, as he was amused at the blonde’s actions. “Greet Hinata for us, will you?“ the Uchiha asked.

Neji nodded. “Of course.”

“We’ll be back in a few days then, to help remove the Seal.“ Naruto said with a wave, as both of them disappeared in swirling leaves, flames and water mixing with the wind.

Neji walked back to the Compoud with a smile – a _real_ one, which he hadn’t had since before his father’s death, – on his face.

Soon, they’ll be _free_.

* * *

Satisfied with the results of their work, the brothers were heading to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate – this was a day worth celebrating. Mitra’s family would soon be free and united, as she would have liked to see them, no matter what. And perhaps trough this small act of justice, they could give weight to the teachings of Ninshū within the Clan, even if the Hyūga wouldn’t have a name for what it was.

The quest for ramen was halted, when Naruto froze in mid-step, his eyes darting around, specifically towards the Hokage Mountain.

“Otōto?”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed on the plateu, which he couldn’t see from here, then his eyes darted to Sasuke. “Two large chakra signatures incoming. One of them full of bloodlust, with stong affinity for Suiton... the other...“ he trailed off.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “What of the other?”

Naruto breathed out. “The second one is an Uchiha.”

Naruto saw his brother’s eyes widen, before they narrowed. There were no words needed. Ramen forgotten, they made their way towards the Hokage Monument. Whichever of the Uchiha candidates had trespassed the village border without raising an alarm... it didn’t matter which one. They could be dangerous.

With a series of _Shunshin_ , the two found themselves on the plateu, facing a tall man with blue-gray skin and small, shark-like eyes. Naruto noted, winkling his nose, that the guy wearing a slashed Kiri headband even _smelled_ like a shark. The long, black cloak with red-white clouds was also rather distinctive.

“Well, well, well...” the newcommer grinned, showing a row of pointed teeth. “Look what we have here, partner. The Kyūbi Jinchūriki walks right into our arms. _Willingly_. Isn’t that nice?”

Naruto frowned. He recognised the fucker from the Bingo Books. Hoshigaki Kisame, former of Kiri’s famed Seven, now one of their most dangerous Missing-nin. “What do you want here, fish-face?” he demanded, violet eyes narrowed.

“Sharp tongue, _ne_?“ Kisame asked. “You’re not gonna be a smart mouth, once we finish with you, Fox. Will he, Itachi?”

Another figure appeared from behind Kisame, almost as if he’d materialised from thin air. He wore the same dark garbs, as the swordman, however, he had a slashed Konoha headband, three-tomoe Sharingan burning in his eyes.

“ _Itachi_.” Sasuke spoke, his tone lilting. Hope, shock, disbelief radiated off of him so strongly, that it was almost enough to distract Naruto. Almost.

The second (undercover) Missin-nin looked at Sasuke. Naruto could feel the myraid of emotions from the man just as strongly, as he felt them from Sasuke, altough his face was blank. Shock, joy, hope, love, regret...

“Long time no see, Otōto.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please share your thoughts and leave comments. Thank you for reading :3


	37. Itachi and ... Indra?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein (poor, poor) Uchiha Itachi, infamous genius is utterly and completely confused by certain Ōtsutsukis.

Itachi had imagined many times, what his encounter with Sasuke would be like. He had never imagined, that he would see Sasuke right next to Uzumaki (Senju?) Naruto. It’s not that he was baised or prejudiced against the blonde for his heritage or for the Bijū he held... Quite the oppoiste. He understood, that if it hadn’t been for the Yondaime’s and Naruto’s sacrifice, there wouldn’t even be Konoha today.

However, he also knew, that not everyone understood that. Fear, hate and prejudice was part of human nature, as sad as it sounded, almost on a genetical level. So... Sasuke either didn’t know what Naruto was or he had overcome the prejudice and had formed a friendship with the blonde anyway. Itachi liked the second option more, but considering the Sandaime’s laws regarding Naruto’s status, the first option was more likely.

“Come with us peacefully, Naruto-kun and no harm will come to the village.” Itachi said, keeping up his act. In fact, he would have liked to tell the blonde to _run_ and alert the Hokage, but Kisame was right here.

Sasuke and Naruto shared a look and both of them snorted. They shared another look a silent conversation passing between them.

“You want the Kyūbi, fish-face?“ Naruto asked, looking at Kisame. “Come and get it!”

Itachi’s lips twitched at the creative (and fitting) nickname. How hadn’t he thought of it before?

“What did you just call me, little fox punk?“ Kisame growled, reaching for Samehada.

“You aren’t just ugly, reeking fish but also deaf? Oh, by the Rikudō...” Kisame roared and charged at the blonde, who dodged swiftly. Itachi debated interfering, but then Sasuke was right in front of him and he had to catch a punch.

Oh, his little brother had come a long way. That punch was pretty strong. Had Sasuke used chakra to sternghten it? He moved to kick Sasuke, but to his shock, Sasuke caught it, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Are you getting weak in your _old age_ , Itachi? Naruto uses chakra-enhanced strenght regularly. This is nothing.”

Itachi twiched inwardly. _‘Old age, heh? It seems you’ve picked up some of Naruto’s cheekiness, hadn’t you, Sasuke-kun?‘_

Sasuke’s eyes morphed into the Sharingan and it showed three tomoe... Itachi was proud and sad all at once. What might have caused the activation of his eyes? He wished he could have been there, to comfort Sasuke afterwards, as activating the Sharingan usually meant a traumatic experience.

Sasuke didn’t say anything, merely attacked again and soon, they were locked in a fast-paced Taijutsu match. Oh, Sasuke was faster, than he had expected and... what was the style he was using? It was unfamiliar. It had a vague resemblance to the Uchiha Interceptor Fist, but nothing more. Had Sasuke made his own style?

Then, Sasuke suddenly drew a tantō and Itachi had to duck under the first swipe... altough it caught his ponytail. His eyes narrowed on Sasuke. _‘That was my **hair** , Sasuke.‘_ he thought irrately. Okay, so no wasting more time – or hair. He would have to help Kisame, as it seemed the blone was expert at evading Kisame, while delivering strong strikes, if the swordman’s cursing was any indication.

His eyes morphed into their higher level. _‘Forgive me, Ot_ _ōto.‘_ he thought, as his chakra spiked.

 **“Tsukuyomi!”** (Moon Reader)

The chakra rippled outwards, transporting them into the red-black world of Tsukuyomi, Sasuke pinned to a massive cross.

“Welcome to the world of Tsukiyomi, Sasuke.” he said. Sasuke looked around with a critical eye and then scowled. Then, as their eyes met, Itachi’s eyes went wide. He saw the three-tomoe pattern spin wildly and then it changed into a six-pointed, star-like design.

 _‘How? Since when does he...?‘_ he thought in shock.

Then, Sasuke spoke words he thought never to hear. (From what he knew, each Mangekyō-user had special, unique abilities, so this was another shock.)

 **“Kongen: Tsukuyomi!”** (Origin: Moon Reader) Sasuke called, his voice hard, filled with so much power, that it sent a shiver down Itachi’s spine. Then, to his surprise, the Genjutsu world rippled like water and changed.

The red-white set up was gone, replaced by a calm night, a crescent moon handing above their heads, giving off a soft, reddish-purple light. Itachi found himself stuck in a circle made up of six magatama, pure white fire floating above each symbol. As the flames fickered and pulsed, sometimes they would touch to create a complete circle. He didn’t know what this was, but he had a vague feeling, that the flames were not part of the Tsukuyomi world. Everything around them was made of water, as if they were on a surface on a massive lake.

And there, on the water, he saw it – the water didn’t refect Sasuke. No, he saw a completely different person. Long, dark brown hair in a cylinder dressed white kimono with black sash – the kind of archaic clothing that was rarely even mentioned in some written acounts from the warring states. It was something like the Uchiha of old might have worn, yet it wasn’t...

“Oh, I forgot.” Sasuke said softly. “The water shows my reflection, does it not?”

Itachi’s eyes snapped up. His reflection? That wasn’t Sasuke there! “What...?”

Sasuke shook his head, his eyes full of sadness and love at once. “Baka, _baka_ Nī-san. All these years I thought you’d fallen for the Curse, you know?”

Itachi’s eyes went even wider. Sasuke knew about their Clan’s Curse? Wait... if he _knew_ about it... did it mean he’d _overcome_ it? Was this the end of the Uchihas’ bloody history? (Usually, after all, knowing meant overcoming it.)

“For years, I pitied you for it. For years, I blamed myself for it. It was after all, _my_ fault, that the Clan has come to what it had been recently.“ Sasuke sighed. “I should have listened to Asura, you know?”

Itachi stood stiffly, confused. The flames’ heat was searing (it might have been real or it might have been the work of the Genjutsu, but it didn’t matter), so he didn’t even dare moving an inch. Sasuke’s fault? How the hell could the Curse of their Clan be his _cute baby brother’s_ fault? And who was Asura? And why was the Genjutsu showing a different person, as if said different person were Sasuke’s shadow/reflection?

His brother had brushed it aside, as if he had been just a it surprised at seeing the effect of the Genjutsu and not the reflection itself. Had Sasuke seen that strange teen (man?) before?

“But... my past mistakes cannot be erased. However, we can work on making a better future and... I’m glad to call you my brother, you know? Few have ever overcome that Curse and if not for Otōto, I would be caught in it, still.”

Itachi blinked. Otōto? Sasuke... _who_ was Sasuke calling his brother? (And in such a way... he c _ould hear_ the brotherly affection in the word, as clear as day. He had said the same word many times in such a way, before everything had become very messy and heavy.)

And what did Sasuke mean by being caught in the Curse still? He was a calm person, but the questions were piling up so fast and suddenly, that he thought he might snap, if Sasuke didn’t give him a straight answer soon.

Sasuke glided into his circle of restraints, not at all bothered – of course, it was kind of expected, as this world was entirely of Sasuke’s design, so he did things the way he pleased. Then suddenly, his baby brother’s arms wrapped around him... in a _hug_.

 _Sasuke was **hugging** him_. (Was this also the work of the Genjutsu? If yes, Itachi would ashamedly addmit, that _it was working_. Ever since that night, he wanted nothing more, than to hold Sasuke, to hug him and explain the whole mess...)

“I missed you, Ita-nī.” Sasuke murmured, using his old childish way of address. Even his voice sounded childish for a moment, far cry from the hard seriousness, when the Genjutsu had been flipped. Uh... Sasuke should be hating him. He should want him _dead_... he should want to burn him and not _hug_ him!

_‘What in the name of kami is going on here?!‘_

Sasuke looked up at him, as if he’d heard his thoughts... Wait a second... WAS THAT _PAINT_ UNDER HIS BROTHER’S EYES?!

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. It’s _paint_ , yes. I had it for years. Longer than you were alive in fact, so you’re not going to talk me down about using it. I like it how it is and there it will stay.”

Itachi was starting to seriously worry. How could Sasuke have that paint for longer, than his lifespan, when _he_ was older and not Sasuke?

“Oh, by the Shinju!” Sasuke growled, pulling away. “ _No_ , I didn’t lose it. I had enough madness in one life to last till the end of times, thank you. And I will explain later. I think. Let it be enough, that I know about the coup...”

Itachi went stiff, eyes widening again. (This meeting was full of surprises. More surprises, than his brain could take in one go. There wouldn’t be any more, right? _Right?!_ ) “What?” he managed to choke out.

“I found the documents with Naruto. It was a kind of mess, after the Oto-Suna Invasion. The point is, that the Shinobi Council also knows. So you’re free to come back. Like _now_. No Akatsuki.”

Itachi’s breath hitched. Come back... He could be here again? In Konoha? With Sasuke? But no – he had duty to the village. He had a mission to finish. “I’ve no idea what are you...”

“Jiraiya and the Hokage told us you’re infiltrating Akatsuki.“ Sasuke cut him off, even before he had the chance to form a lie. “Jiraiya wasn’t happy, but the decision’s been made. Tsunade-sensei wants you back in the village. Here. It was just that... they couldn’t reach you to call you back. Or find a safe way of pulling you out. Here is the chance. Let us catch you. Let the fish-face go and tell the bastards you’ve been caught. And you’re free to come back. No reprecussions.”

Itachi blinked owlishly. “Did you just say _Tsunade-sensei_ , Sasuke? As in Senju Tsunade, current and Godaime Hokage of Konoha?”

Sasuke growled throwing his hands into the air with a growl. “Are you sure you’re an Uchiha?! You’re surely as dense, as Otōto. I can’t belive one of my own could be such a... _baka_! You sound more like a Senju or an Uzumaki.” he huffed and then took a deep breath. His posture changed and his face was one of calmness again. “ _Yes_. I said that. You’re home and if Otōto and I have anything to say about this, you’re _staying_. Is that fine with you?“

There was a heartbeat of silence.

“Will you stay, Itachi-nī?” his voice was much calmer now, hopeful. Almost childish.

Itachi didn’t need to think much. He could stay – with Sasuke. He could stay and makue sure his brother was safe and fine. And... maybe he could pry out a few _straight answers_ from Sasuke in the process.

“Hai.“ he said softly. “I will stay.”

The white, searing flames around him dimmed and Sasuke’s Mangekyō spun so fast, that he couldn’t even see the pattern.

* * *

As the effects of his Tsukuyomi faded, both of them were transported back to the real world. Sasuke blinked, but it was clear, that his brother was very confused and disoriented. Feeling a bit bad, Sasuke punched him in the gut and swept his feet from under Itachi, causing his brother to fall with a groan.

“Tell your partner to flee.” he hissed softly.

Suddenly, golden chains materialised from the ground, binding Itachi, confusing him even more.

“What the _fuck_ Itachi, come and help me!!” the shark-faced bastard called. Itachi looked up, just as Sasuke pointed his tantō at his heart.

Sasuke looked up and noticed Asuma, Kakashi and Yamato there, fighting alongside Naruto. But his brother was drawing further away from the fight, his hand in a half-Ram to keep his Kongō Fūsa in perfect shape. Ah, so Naruto was wary Itachi may find a way out... no matter how unlikely.

“Leave Kisame!” Itachi said, a note of desperation creeping into his emotionlesness. (Speak about his brother being a splendid actor.) “I’ll find my way out! Leave! We cannot fail!”

Kisame swung his sword – did that thing have _scales_?– and put extra distance between himself and the three Jōnin, the swung catching Yamato and causing him to stagger back. Kisame threw one last look at them, then he glared at Naruto.

“We’ll be back for you, Fox!”

“Come and get me, if you can, sushi-brained bastard!” Naruto hissed, slamming his Mokuton-made bō onto the rock, which caused a tremor. Kisame cursed and then disappeared in a water Shunshin.

The four of them seemed winded. Rather unusual –and, when had the three Jōnin joined them?

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the four. “Are you alright?”

Asuma blinked at him. “Are you asking us? When you faced him?” he asked, making a gesture at Itachi.

Sasuke shrugged. “The good thing about Genjutsu, Sarutobi-san, that if you have enough skill and the means, all Genjutsu can be turned around and the victim becomes the preparator. He underestimated my abilities and the Uzumaki chains... had held the Fox of decades and still hold him... so...” he glanced at Itachi, “he’s not going anywhere we don’t want him to go.”

Asuma snorted again. “You two are _dangerous little meneaces_ , you know? Kids your age shouldn’t have so much skill and power.”

“We aren’t simple _kids_ , Sarutobi-san.“ Naruto shot back, “Your students may be lazy or fangirlish... but we know what we want in life. And we know what we have to do, to get there. And we’re going to get there, sooner or later, but we’re going to get there.”

Sasuke smiled at the words. “Well said, Otōto.”

* * *

After a hours long session in the T&I, telling everything to the Hokage and Jiraiya he had gathered so far, they had let him walk free. Tsunade-sama had promised, that the mess around the Massacre will be cleared with the civilans as well, as it had been with the shinobi. Altough, for the sake of appearances, he would get seal restraints on his chakra for a few weeks and then, if he wished, he could be fully reinstated as a shinobi of Konoha...

“...or you could retire to lead a calmer life.“ the Hokage offered, her tone softer. “You’ve done more, than many shinobi, troughout their whole career. The decision is yours.”

Itachi gave a nod. “Thank you, Hokage-sama. I will think on it.”

Than, to Itachi’s surprise, it was Naruto who walked trough the only door of the room. The blonde Jinchūriki’s face was completely calm and collected. “May I escort him, Hokage-sama?”

“You may, Naurto. Oh, the seal.” the Hokage said.

Naruto glanced at him, his violet eyes sharp. Than, the blonde bit his own finger to draw blood and grabbed his hand, turning it. Itachi watched in quiet fascination, as Naruto pressed his bleeding finger onto his wrist and channeled his chakra.

His breath hitched in shock – for someone so young, Naruto surely had strong chakra. He had met Uzumaki Kushina a few times... but he didn’t remember the excitable redhead having such potent chakra – not even _she_ had such chakra, despite her lineage.

 **“Uzumaki F** **ūin Shiki: Heikai F** **ūin.”** (Uzumaki Sealing Style: Closing Seal) Naruto said.

The blood formed into a small circular seal, as the chakra sunk into his system, clasping down on his entire body, so hard that it drove the breath out of his lungs. (Which was bad, considering his illness. He had hard time breathing anyway, but this was very, very bad...) He couldn’t help the wince, that deformed his features for a second.

Naruto looked at him. “Gomen, Uchiha-san. I keep forgetting, that unlike me, not everyone is used to seals usually present on their body, nor they are used to my heavy chakra.”

 _‘Heavy is the understatement of the century.‘_ Itachi thought. Instead, he shook his head and stood up slowly. “No harm done, Naruto-kun.”

Naruto turned to Tsunade and the Hokage nodded. “Both of you may go. Naruto... you and Sasuke report for training the day after tomorrow. And don’t be late.”

The blonde nodded. “Hai, sensei.”

Itachi blinked at that. Did Tsunade train both his little brother and Naruto? (If yes, that would explain the sloppier version the chakra-enhanced strength he’d noticed Sasuke use...) Naruto grabbed his arm and then they were both gone.

* * *

They landed in front of a nice little house, right on the border of the Merchant and the Clan district. Naruto bit his hand again (the wound from before was gone without a trace...hm, interesting), drawing blood. He swiped the blood finger over the gate and channeled some chakra. Kanji lit up around the centre and then the gate clicked open. Naruto pushed it wide and gestured for him to walk in.

“Welcome to the Namikaze Estate. Your new home, for the time of your _probation_.” he said, making air quotes. “Make yourself at home, Itachi-san.”

Itachi walked in tentatively and then allowed the whiskered blonde to lead. “Itachi will do just fine, Naruto-kun.” he said, “No need to be so formal. I should thank you, I suppose. From what I’ve observed you and Sasuke are close.”

Naruto chuckled and nodded. “You could say that, I suppose.”

“It... from my understanding your presence had helped him overcome the trauma of that night and... I owe you for that. Thank you for being there for him, when I couldn’t.” he said quietly.

Naruto waved him off with a smile, as he opened the door. “Nonsense, Itachi. He’s important to me. Of course I’d keep an eye on him, no matter what.”

They took off their shoes and Naruto led him into the kitchen. “Nī-sama! We’re home!” Naruto called.

Itachi blinked at that. _N_ _ī-sama?_ Did Naruto mean _Sasuke_ by that? Naruto gestured for him to sit down and Itachi did just that. There was no answer from Sasuke whatsoever.

 _“N_ _ī-sama!”_ Naruto called again, this time his voice sharper. “I brought Itachi home!”

The words worked almost like magic – a whirl of fire appeared in the room, to reveal Sasuke. “Sorry Otōto. I was just speaking with Neji. It seems the words we exchanged with the Hyūga are working. Hinata and Hiashi seem to be determined _not_ to be caught in a blood feud.”

Naruto grinned. “Oh, does that mean I can saunter over to start removing that stupid seal from the Branch Family?”

Sasuke hummed. “Not yet, but close. But don’t think, I’m letting you go alone. I’m going to go with you – the last thing we need is for the old geezers to try something nasty. But just let them... I’d gladly introduce them to Amaterasu.”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “I can protect myself, Nī-sama.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “Boar in the forest.” Sasuke said seriously, which caused the blonde to groan and suddenly, there was a dark raincloud above his head.

“Am I _never_ going to live that down?” he murmured.

Sasuke huffed, walking closer. “No, Otōto. But I suppose, I should kinda thank you and Shiro. If not for that boar, I wouldn’t have had my Sharingan so early.”

Itachi felt a bit left out. The two obviously acted like brothers, were brothers in everything but blood... but what was going on with the Hyūga? And what boar in what forest? When?

“But _Indra_...” Naruto whined softly.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. “You’re _not_ going alone to the Hyūga grounds. I trust Neji of course, but useless the Seal is removed, he can’t really stand up to help you.”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed. “But I can...”

Sasuke’s eyes flashed with the Sharingan. ”No, Otōto.”

Naruto grunted. “Fine, Nī-sama.“ he turned away, grabbing some pots and pans and then walking to the fridge. “What do you two want to eat?”

Itachi blinked at the sudden change in topic. What the _hell_ was going on here? Sasuke stole him a glance and then smiled. “Onigiri, please.” Oh... so Sasuke remembered it was his favourite? It’s nice... and he hadn’t eaten onigiri in ages. Konan’s cooking wasn’t exactly safe to eat and he _refused_ to even acknowledge that one time, when Deidara...

 _‘No, stop.‘_ he thought,‘ _Don’t think about that. Or any of them ever again.‘_

Naruto stopped and looked up. “Huh?“ then, his violet eyes settled on him and Itachi felt a bit uncomfortable, almost like an open book, the thoughts about the other Akatsuki members fleeing in a second.

The blonde smiled. “Ah, so it’s a favourite? Well, then origiri it shall be. Any special wishes, Itachi?”

Itachi hummed. “Well... I like it with seaweed.“ he said. Naruto hummed, looking at Sasuke, who chuckled.

“Fine, fine. You do the cooking, I get the seaweed.”

And then Sasuke was gone in a fiery Shunshin without a word. Itachi sat there by the table, watching as Naruto cooked the rice for their food and pondered the mystery, that his little brother and the Uzumaki made up.

The oddest pair ever and not just because of the different Clans. For one... how did Sasuke have the Mangakyō? Secondly... why had Naruto called his baby brother _Indra_?

“Naruto...”

The blonde glanced at him, not stopping in preparing their food. “Hai?”

“I think... I heard you say Indra and... if I’m not mistaken, you meant my little brother.“

This time, the Uzumaki did stop and turned to him for a moment, studying him with sharp, wise violet eyes. Sharper and wiser eyes, than a teen his age had the right to have. “Observant.“ he murmured, turning back to his task. “Yes, I called him that.”

“Why?“

Naruto hummed. “Cause that’s his name.”

Itachi hummed too. “No. His name is _Sasuke_. He’s my brother, you know.”

Naruto huffed. “He’s as much Sasuke as much Indra. And he was _my_ brother first, Itachi-san, so I get to call him whichever name I feel like.”

Itachi’s lips parted ever so slightly to speak, but he held back instead. What the hell had been going on in Konoha, while he’d been gone?! 

And what was this identity mess Naruto and Sauske were struggling with?! Kami help him, these two were worse than Sasori and Deidara, when they argued about _art_...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me what you think. Your comments are my caffeine :3


	38. We, Who Are Kin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> < irritatedbookworm > thank you very much for your ideas. The morsels you gave me helped write this chapter and I think it turned out well.  
> So, this chapter is dedicated specifically to you. Hope you´ll like it! <3

Hiashi frowned. Since early morning, he’d been in the Hyūga library trying to find a copy of the document Naruto had shown him. It was a valid contract, so there _had_ to be a copy in here as well. Hinata and Neji had come with him, when they heard what he was looking for. It’s not that he questioned the validity of the document – far from it – but he knew, that several of the Elders would try to undermine this effort to unite the family.

Despite his promise to Hizashi and his wife, he’d never acted on it, afraid the Elders might try tearing his family apart even more. Sadly, the one who was the staunchest supporter of that abomination for a seal was his own father. The thought still made him frown. (And the old coot wondered, _why_ Hinata avoided him so much...)

He sighed in frustration and carefully rearranged the many scrolls, just as they’d been. He threw a look at his daughter from across the room, countless documents spread in front of her. As she caught his gaze, she shook her head in denial and started to rearrange the pile.

 _‘Damn the long history of our Clan.‘_ he thought, as he felt a headache forming, _‘We’ll never find that damnable contract.‘_

“Hiashi-sama.“ Neji called, hurrying towards him, holding a scroll continer not unlike the one Naruto had shown him. ”I found it.” his face was calm, but Hiashi caught the little excitement underlining his tone. It warmed his heart to hear it – Neji was so much like his brother...

He smiled a bit and patted his nephew’s shoulder, taking the scroll. “Wonderful. And... I think, it’s time we acted a family, Neji.” he said in a lower tone, “Call me uncle.”

Surprise flickered trough Neji’s features, but the smile, that formed on his face was enough of an answer. Hiashi twisted the contract in his hand, looking at his daughter, who had also approached, hearing Neji’s words.

“I’ll deal with the Elders and gather the Clan. Would you two please bring the infamous duo?”

Neji smirked and Hinata smiled widely. “Of course, Otō-san.”

* * *

Itachi opened the door of the Namikaze house, as the bell rang. Two Hyūga stood in the door, about the same age, as his little brother and Naruto. The girl just looked confused, as she noticed him and the boy immediately siffened, covering her and taking a cautious step back. No doubt he had recognised him.

“Who’s it, Itachi?” Naruto called.

Itachi took a step back, turning towards the blonde. “Two friends of yours, I would guess, Naruto-kun. Hyūga.”

Naruto perked up and darted forwards, peeking out. “Ah, Neji, Hinata. Nice to see you. How’s it going?”

“Not to be rude or a jinx...“ Neji murmured, pointing at him, “But that’s Uchiha Itachi _right_ , Naruto? S-rank Missing-nin... famed for killing his Clan.”

Itachi winced inwardly at the words. Will that be how the world remembered him? Clan-killer Itachi?

Naruto hummed. “Yes. And there are several things the village doesn’t know about the Uchiha Incident and I would guess our age group knows even less. I and Sasuke know what we do, cause we came across things, after the Invasion. The point is, that Itachi’s under house arrest, until everything gets cleared up. And nope, he can’t use chakra – one of my seals is blocking him, so you won’t get fried, like Nī-sama tried to do the last time we trained together.”

The girl – Hinata– relaxed with a small huff. “That’s nice to hear. Sasuke-kun’s fire is... _not_ nice.”

Naruto chuckled. “Trust me, I know. So? What brings you here?”

Itachi saw the massive grins, that formed on the two Hyūgas faces – rather uncharacteristic, knowing how stoic and arrogant that bunch could be. Frighteningly similar to how the Uchiha had been, so seeing the light expressions on their faces was odd. (What was next? Would there be snow in the village right now, in the middle of the summer? At this point, he wouldn’t be more confused or concerned...)

“Otō-san found the copy of the Contract.“ Hinata said. “He’s speaking with the Elders now.”

“He requested your and Sasuke’s presence to do your part, as you promised. He asked us to escort you there.”

Itachi blinked in confusion. What contract? And what did Naruto and Sasuke have to do with it? And how did the Hyūga Council get involved in this?

Naruto grinned and even the sun seemed brighter, all of sudden. “Nī-sama should be back in a few minutes and we can go.”

Itachi rubbed his temples. When the two were back from the Hyūgas from whatever they would be doing there, Itachi swore to get his answers, even if he had to blackmail the two with their favourite foods. (It would cost half the money he earned from the Akatsuki mission, but he’d rather be broke, than going insane with all the questions floating about in his head.)

* * *

Hiashi matched the angry, disbelieving glares of the Elders without a twitch. As expected, no one was happy about the redesigning of the Seal.

His father scowled at him. “You would condemn us to chaos, Hiashi?“ his father asked darkly. “The moment the Branch House is free, they will revolt and the Clan will fall apart!”

His eyes narrowed. “And they have a reason to revolt, father. Enough is enough. I stood by and allowed you to brand Hizashi, like a piece of kettle.” he shook his head. “I will not allow you to tear my daughters apart, as you did with me and my brother.”

“You would break hundreds of years of tradition, for your _weak_ daughter?“ an elderly woman demanded. Hiashi did not even bother remembering her name.

Hiashi’s eyes narrowed on her and he released a wave of Killing Intent. “Hinata has my wife’s love for family. Compassion is _not_ weakness. Strenght lies in unity – time for the Clan to unite. Besides, Senju-Uzumak Naruto holds a copy of the Blood Contract made between our ancestors and his. He is very much aware of the seal having been twisted. No one in Konoha likes our use of the Seal. If he takes the Contract before the Shinobi Council and the Hokage, they will support him. It will mean a Blood Feud between the Hyūga and the Uzumaki. Considering the closeness, the Senju and the Uchiha may be dragged into it as well. We will be banished from here. No village takes in a Clan, that has an ongoing Blood Feud with another – much less _three_ Clans. Those three Clans may be reduced to one and two members, but if they join forces, it will mean the Hyūga Clan against the entire village – because make no mistake, Konoha _will_ follow them. They are talented and the descendants of the Founders. Their words will be heard.” he said in a steely tone.

The Elders sat there, frozen, looking at him in disbelief and anger.

“The Seals _will_ be redone today. _No questions_.” Hiashi declared strongly, his Killng Intent spiking in silent warning. “Anyone who disagrees, will answer to me and soon... the Clan. One person is nothing against an entire Clan, who were promised freedom, after such long days of slavery.”

* * *

Naruto walked into the Main House of the Hyūga District, looking as confident, as ever, even though he didn’t feel confient at all. He had massive reserves, but removing so many seals and redoing even more, would be a challenge, even for him.

 **“I’ll push a bit more chakra trough to get purified.“** Kurama offered quietly. **“Combined with your big reserves, it should be enough, altough you may find yourself knocked out at the very end.”**

Naruto smiled inwardly. _‘Arigato, N_ _ī-sama.‘_

“And I can share my chakra too.” Sasuke said quietly. “I can’t hope to deal with such complex Fūinjutsu, but I can share my chakra with you.”

Naruto hummed and they stepped into the room, which had been chosen as the place of gathering. There, at the end of the room, were two seats prepared, the symbols of the Uchiha hanging above one, while the other had the Uzumaki spiral placed in the middle of the Senju _varja_. But, to their shock, above those, hung a bigger symbol, as if encommpassing the three known Clan symbols. A black crescent moon with a circle on white.

The Ōtsutsuki banner, which they hadn’t seen anywhere since remembering, save for on their own posessions. Naruto threw a look at Neji, as he pointed at the symbol. “What’s _that_ doing up there?”

Amusement flashed trough the Chūnin’s pale eyes. “Hiashi oji-san asked about the symbols you carried on your backs. I told them it was your personal invention, to show your brotherly bond. That the circle was to symbolise the spiral, while the crescent moon could be passed off as the red half of the _uchiwa_ , just with switched position.”

Naruto couldn’t help the laughter, that escaped him and Sasuke was chuckling too. “Shrewed Hyūga. _Shrewed_. A real shinobi.”

Neji grinned back. “Why thank you.” he made a gesture. “Take a seat. There are many of my relatives, who have the seal, so I’d think it will take a while.”

Naruto shared a look with his brother and then shrugged. They walked over to the designed spots and sat down. Then, the tatami doors slipped open and they watched the entire Hyūga Clan pour in, like a wave, whispering and murmuring, throwing them strange looks. Once everyone arrived, the crowd quieted down somewhat, but only partially. Naruto could feel their curiousty and confusion. If he had to guess, Hiashi hadn’t exactly been open about what the ocassion was.

Then, a few minutes later, Hiashi himself walked in, Hanabi by his side, followed by the sour looking Elders. As the Head walked in, the crowds murmured and bowed deeply to their Clan Head only for Hiashi to stop a few feet away from where he and Sasuke sat, turning towards the Branch House.

“We gathered here today for a change. Today will be a new start for the Hyūga Clan. Time for us to stand united, as a family.” his gaze flickered across the man Branch members, who were now all looking interested. “From this day forth, we are one, without differences. The Branch House will no longer exist – you will no longer have to fear pain and punishment, for speaking up. No child will have to fear the Seal, not siblings of the Main house, nor the Branch members.“ he glanced at his daughters and Hanabi’s eyes went wide, “From this day forward, the Caged Bird Seal will _not_ exist. Instead...“ he threw a meaningful look at the Elders, “all of us will have a seal meant to protect our eyes. A seal meant to protect our family and secrets. To show _unity_ and not division. From this day forth, we will all have the _White Bird Seal_ , for our protection.”

There was a long moment of silence and then someone at the back cried out. “We’re free! Long live Hiashi-sama!”

A cheerful chant went up in the room, praising Hiashi. Naruto smiled, as the shock and disbelief in the room was replaced by pure elation of the crowd. Hiashi then turned around and walked up to them. Looking him in the eyes. Naruto matched the pale gaze with a smile on his face.

 _This_ was the family Mitra would have wanted – this was the leader the Clan needed.

The Hyūga Head knelt in front of him, his face unmoving, but Naruto could sense his lighter emotions. He was as relived, as the rest of his Clan. (Well, bar a few Elders, but he had a feeling Hiashi would deal with them gradually.) “Woud you, Senju-dono?”

Naruto grinned, biting his finger to draw blood. “Gladly, Hyūga-dono.” he pressed his bloody finger on the man’s forehead and carefully drew the array. Once he was done, he flared his chakra. **“Uzumaki Fūin Shiki** **:** **Howaito Tori F** **ūin: Kasei-ka!”** (Uzumaki Sealing Style: White Bird Seal: Activate)

The seal formed on the man’s forehead in a circular pattern, resembling a sun. It glowed white-gold with the chakra and Hiashi winced a bit. Once it was done, Naruto nodded. “It will fade in a few hours. While it’s active, it does not show in the same way the other seal, so no need to consciously cover it. However, it will become visible, upon a certain amount of chakra being put into it. In fact, the smallest amount is enough. It can seal your eyes on the wearer’s own will, so if you feel yourself in such a situation, a small spike of chakra and your Byakugan is inacessible to the enemy. If you happen to survive said encounter and your seal is active, it will revert back to the basic state within twelve hours, as long as the individual has a steady chakra circulation and heartbeat.”

Hiashi nodded and Naruto saw the flash in his eyes – he’d managed to impress the stoic man. “Finely done.”

Naruto dipped his head. “Praise the father of Uzumaki Mito-hime, Uzumaki Ashina. I used his notes and the one I’ve shown you, to create and improve this one.”

Hiashi nodded, walking over to Hinata. Hinata was the next one to step closer, a determined look on her face, but Naruto waved her off. “Wait a second, Hinata. I would first remove the current seals, because it might put some strain on your clansmens bodies. While they recover, I can do yours.”

Hinata nodded with a smile. “It’s fine. Do it, Naruto-kun.”

Naruto sighed, looking at Neji. “Would you, please? I have a feeling no one would dare moving just yet despite the demonstration. And if this works the way I think it will, I can connect everyone and release the other seals in one go.”

Neji hummed, taking off his headband to reveal the Caged Bird Seal. He carefully walked over and knelt in Hiashi’s spot. “Do it, Naruto.”

The blonde placed his hand on the seal. “Fair warning. It may hurt. But, Sasuke will be able to dull the pain with a little medical chakra. Then you take a break to give your body time to recuperate and I’ll remove the other seals. Once everyone is seal free, you come back after the others’ seals are done.”

“Alright.”

* * *

Naruto groaned, feeling light-headed from all the chakra use. After hours of work, finally all the Branch members were free of the twisted seals and he could start on working the new one. Despite the pain, that the removal caused, every single Hyūga was smiling – some even _grinning_ – as they stood from opposite him.

Sasuke gripped his hand, rising his hand in a half-Ram. **“Ninshū: Chakura Kyōyō: Hojū.”** (Ninja Creed: Chakra Sharing: Replenishment) 

Naruto’s breath hitched, as he felt the warm, electroluced chakra flood his system, mixing with Kurama’s, replenishing his reserves and dulling the ache in his body. He heard gasps as the chakra formed a visible flame around them – no doubt, many hadn’t expected their chakras to be so powerful. After a few moments, he let go of Sasuke’s hand.

“You’re a life-saver, Nī-sama.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Someone has to make sure you don’t pass out. I used far less chakra, than you, so I could share a bit.”

“Perhaps we could take a break?“ Hinata offered. “I doubt you two had a proper breakfast, with how soon we appeared at your door. Maybe some food would help?”

Naruto beamed. “You are a _genius_ , Hinata. Definitely would help the dizziness.”

* * *

Naruto ignored the shocked looks the former Branch members gave him, as he settled among them. He’d told Hiashi, that some trust from the Clan might help along the process and that he’d eat among them, while Sasuke would answers any and all questions him and the Elders might have about the new seal.

Luckily for him, the Head had agreed and he saw a flash of respect in the man’s eyes at that. So here he was, his eyes set on an empty spot next to a mother and son, if their similar chakras were any clue. “May I have a seat?” he asked the mother.

The woman’s pale eyes went wide and then she bowed. “Of course, Senju-sama.”

Naruto settled and waved her off. “Naruto will do...“ he raised an eyebrow at her.

She dipped her head again. “Hiyori.”

Naruto hummed. “Hiyori-san.”

“Are you a shinobi, like Neji-nī?“ the small boy next to Hiyori asked, an excited gleam in his pale eyes. His eyes had the same lavander tint, as Hinata’s – it made him look cute.

“ _Hikaru_.” his mother chestied him with a look.

Naruto grinned. “No harm in curiousty, Hiyori-san. In fact, if your son wants to be a shinobi sometimed, asking the right questions may save his and his comardes’ lives.” he took a bite of his food and nodded to the boy. “Aye, Hikaru-kun. Both me and my brother are shinobi, like Neji and Hinata.”

Hikaru blinked. “Huh? He’s your brother? But... you look so different! Even your _chakra_ feels different.”

Naruto drew up short, eyes widening a bit in surprise. “You can feel what my chakra is like?”

Hikaru nodded. “Warm. Sunny – it’s like in a clearing in spring.”

“And Sasuke’s?” he probed gently.

The little boy turned towards Sasuke, his eyes narrowed for a bit, before he looked back. “Warm. And prickly... but in a nice way. Like a thunderstorm in summer. Different from yours, but still similar.”

Naruto smiled, ruffling the small boy’s black hair. “Hiyori-san, you have a budding Sensor here. And to answer your question... we have different parents. We have different Clans and parents... but at the same time, we’re brothers. Because we promised to be brothers, to take care of each other. To protect each other, no matter what. He’s my precious person, you know. And you always protect your precious people.”

The wide-eyed look of the boy told the blonde, that he had found another follower. Another child, who’ll remember the words and protect his precious people. It warmed his heart.

* * *

Sasuke watched, as his brother’s chakra blazed in a blue-green flame, running along the many golden chains, that were wrapped around the former Branch members. Each of them had the starting Kanji of the seal drawn on their foreheads with blood and now Naruto was intending to speed up the sealing process. Naruto himself was sitting in a complex seal circle, drawn with chakra infused ink, countless chains reaching out from his back to the many men, women and children.

The Elders were frowning at their new seals, but Sasuke chose to ignore them. He was sure, that the newly reformed family quartett – Hiashi, Hinata, Neji and even young Hanabi (who seemed to have gained a new admiration for Naruto) – were going to keep the few displeased in line.

Naruto did a few seals, as his chakra blazed even more, cracking the wooden floor beneath them, which caused everyone to go wide-eyed and gasping. **“Uzumaki Fūin Shiki: Zōshoku: Howaito Tori Fūin!”** (Uzumaki Sealing Style: Multiplcation: White Bird Seal)

Sasuke watched as the single Kanji all formed into the seals, as the chakra took effect. After a few minutes, Naruto opened his eyes and they seemed to be glowing with chakra, making his violet eyes eerily light in colour. **“Kasei-ka!”** (Activate)

The seals on the foreheads glowed golden for a moment and then suddenly, the Chakra Chains shattered loudly, the broken pieces glinting before disappearing, some not even reaching the floor. Naruto groaned and fell and Sasuke leapt from his seat, chakra cracking under his feet, as he propelled himself forwards.

“Otōto!” he called, just barely catching the blonde. Naruto gave a tired chuckle, his eyes fluttering closed.

“Done. They’re free and safe.“ he muttered.

Sasuke hummed. “Yeah, they are.“

As Naruto’s head lolled to the side, Sasuke sighed. The previously deathly quiet room went up in worried shush and calls. Sasuke sighed, looking at the Hyūga. “Just chakra exhaustion.“ he said. “A more severe case, I suppose, but nothing he won’t pull trough.”

“Still.“ Hiashi spoke suddenly, stepping forwards, “one of our medics should check him.”

Sasuke nodded. “I’d be grateful.”

A young woman, around Kakashi’s age darted forwards, her light-brown hair braided to the left. “May I?” she asked, glancing tentatively at him and then her Clan Head.

Hiashi nodded. “Please, Hanami.”

She hurried over and her hands glowed with the familiar green chakra, her Byakugan active. For several minutes, her hands kept romaing his body and then she pulled back. “I helped along the healing of his strained circulatory system. As long as he doesn’t do anything more than a civilian for a few days, he should be fine. Just make sure he eats and drinks enough.”

Sasuke nodded and gently picked the blonde up. “Arigato gozaimasu, Hanami-san.“ he looked at Hiashi. “If you excuse me, Hyūga-dono, I would like to get my brother home. I’m sure he’d appreciate waking up in his own bed.”

Hiashi nodded. “By all means.”

Sasuke stole a glance at the still shocked Clan before he allowed his _Shunshin_ to carry both of them away.

* * *

Itachi was a bit worried, than after hours long absence Sasuke landed in the living room, carrying a passed out, pale Naruto, a thin layer of sweat glimmering on the whiskered face. A spark of worry reared its head in his mind – the blonde was important to Sasuke and how could he forget how close his parents had been to Naruto’s? Kushina-san was even Sasuke’s godmother.

“Holy...“ he stood up, his book abandoned. “What happened Sasuke? And... you should go to the hospital...”

Sasuke shook his head. “He’s just exhausted. Sleeping and proper nourishment shall do the trick, as long as we pay attention. He won’t be using chakra for a few days.” than, Sasuke walked towards the rooms and Itachi remained there, standing in confusion and shock.

One – a literaly chakra powerhouse coming back passed out from chakra exhaustion after both boys had been absent for hours, persumably with the Hyūgas. Two – Sasuke himself seemed a bit winded, but also pleased.

 _‘Enough is enough.‘_ he decided at last, _‘I want to know what’s going on here.‘_

* * *

Tsunade stared at Hiashi. She could do nothing, but stare.

“Would you please repeat that, Hiashi-san?“ she asked, as the entire shinobi council sat silently, staring wide-eyed at the Hyūga leader.

“Thank you for allowing Naruto acess to your old home, Hokage-sama and thus, to the techniques cerfully confined by your family. Naruto has removed and redone our Seals and now the Hyūga stand united and safer, than ever. Altough he had been carried off by his brother passed out... I do hope he will be fine. Would you be so kind to inform us of his condition, at a later date?”

Tsunade took a deep breath. “Are you saying... that Naruto has removed every single Caged Bird Seal from your Clan members?”

Hiash nodded, his eyes gleaming pleased, as he stood up and handed her a stack of papers. “Every single one of them.”

“And the pup did another seal, for all of you to protect all your eyes _equally_?“ Tsume asked, her eyes wide. The Patriarch nodded to his former teammate.

“Indeed.” Tsunade watched as Hiashi flared his chakra and a seal appeared on his forehead, resembling a white, simple sun, two of its ‘rays‘ running down of the man’s face, to stop an inch or so below his eyes.

Tsunade groaned, as she looked at the stack of paperwork this meant for her. This may have been the _right_ thing to do... but couldn’t Kushina’s meddlesome brat of a son change the world in a way, that meant _less paperwork for her?_

With another groan and uncaring of what those gathered thought of her, Tsunade reached for the bottle of saké hidden in the lowest shelf of the desk. She popped it open and without getting a cup, she took a few huge glups.

She was so going to skin Naruto and Sasuke. They were so going to pay for the extra paperwork they just gave her! She looked at the papers and the single bottle she was holding.

 _‘I need more alcohol, if I want to survive this.‘_ she decided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave comments and tell me what you think. Thank you for reading :3


	39. Brotherhood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Half of this thing was written while I was in uni, in-between classes, from my phone. So if there are more mistakes or typos, than usual... well, sorry. ^.^"

Naruto blinked rapidly, as he found himself in the bright, sunlit clearing of his mindscape — which then continoued on and turned into a vast desert, the sun’s heat searing on his skin. Shukaku lay curled in the sand, studying him with a pleased expression, while Gaara stood a few feet from him, just where the sand and grass mixed, creating an odd sort of border between their two minds.

He grinned at the sight of his two brothers. “Shukaku nī-sama, Gaara. Nice to see you again.” he greeted as he walked up to the redhead and gave him a quick hug.

 **“Asura-kun.“** greeted the tanuki.

Gaara smiled and returned the hug fiercely. “I’m glad to see you as well.“ the redhead dipped his head towards Kurama. “A pleasure to see you again.”

Kurama gave a huff of acknowledgement and Naruto sat kekkufuza. Gaara also sat down, while Shukaku and Kurama just observed quietly, enjoying the peace, that surrounded them.

“How are things going in Suna?” Naruto asked.

Gaara sighed. “A bit of a mess, since we don’t have a Kazekage. Right now a war council leads the village, but I’m unsure how long that will work.”

Naruto nodded. “Hope you’ll figure it out soon. How are the people treating you?”

“Everyone heard of the redone seal and they noticed, that I sleep and eat just as they do. The fact that Temari and Kankuro are trying to make an effort for us to feel like a family again also helps. Most of the people are wary, but there are a few, who are actually willing to tentatively speak with me. And since I beat Baki-sensei and Temari in spars, fairly without drawing blood... well, I think it was another good thing. Since we’re without a leader, I’ve been trying to help the village more and with Temari and Kankuro right there with me... I think it’s working.”

The blonde beamed. “That’s wonderful! Would you want me to help you use Shukaku’s chakra a bit more? You can use it, even without full transformation.“ he paused, looking at the sand demon. “That is, if you don’t mind, Nī-sama.”

Shukaku hummed. **“Not at all. Teach him some of your F** **ūin- and J** **ūinjutsu as well, so he can use mine too. Maybe even combine them—gods know Suna is in need of a few, who can deal with that Art. And if I have to trust someone else with seals, who isn’t you, let it be my Jinch** **ūriki. Oh and he has _Jinton_ and not only because I have it. It runs in his family. I’m sure you can teach him more about it in a way I can’t. You humans use it differently, than I do.”**

Naruto nodded, turning to the redhead. “So? What do you say? Would you like me to teach you?”

Gaara smiled widely. “I’d be honoured.”

Naruto hummed. “So... where to start... Oh, yes. Fūin- and Jūinjutsu.” he snapped his fingers and paper and ink appeared out of nowhere, causing Gaara to raise an eyebrow. Naruto laughed. “This is a mindspace, so you can manipulate it, to an extent. What you want here to exist, will exist in a way. Also, time goes differently here, than in the real world, so it’s also benefical for certain forms of training. Like reaching inner balance or honing theorical knowledge, so when you use it in the real world, it becomes a sort of instinct. Of course, this does not mean you can neglect training outside of your mind, but as a Jinchūriki, you have a bit of advance, over normal shinobi.”

“I see.“ Gaara answered, his face turning serious. “It’s useful. Does this mean I could train with Shukaku, without endangering the village?”

Naruto nodded. “To an extent. But the moment you start consciously drawing his chakra from his seal, it will encase your body and show effects in the real world as well.”

“So we have to train outside the village.” Gaara noted, tone serious.

Naruto nodded. “Yes. So... back to seals. It’s quiet simple, once you understand the basics, as it is the basics you twist more and more, the more complex seal you want. Now, Shukaku has a great knowledge of them as well, so he may also be able to help you, if you think you lose me somewhere during an explanation... as I understand, that I have an unnaturally good understanding of them.”

He grabbed the brush. “So, the first step is improving your calligraphy and chakra control. You will have to work on your control alone, but the rest we can help with. So, show me how well you can wite these...” he said, drawing a few Kanji on the paper. Once he was done, he offered the brush.

Gaara took it and copied the Kanji and Naruto grinned. “Not bad. In fact, your writing is better, than Sasuke’s. Don’t tell him, but his handwriting is chicken scratch.” he muttered.

The words drew a round of laughter from the redhead and the two Bijū — the great beings amused more, than Gaara, as they had always known Indra as a perfectionist. So hearing that he was bad — downright _terrible_ at something,— was overly hilarious for them.

Once Gaara was done, he pulled away the brush, looking at Naruto expectantly. The blonde ruffled his fellow Jinchūriki’s hair. “Nice, Otōto. A bit of practice in the waking world and I think I’ll be able to teach you a lot of things, that aren’t _Uzumaki-only_ kind of seals. You have big reserves, but still not as big as my natural source and I’m a bit unsure how those seals would react to Shukaku’s special kind of chakra.”

Gaara hummed. “Even if you teach me one fifth of what you know, I’m confident I might just be considered a seal master in the village. Suna excells in Wind-based jutsu and puppetry, but seals... it’s a complex Art that few know. There’s Chiyo-oba-sama, but at this point, I’m sure you know _much more_ , than she does.”

Naruto nodded. “Well, remind the world then, that you were taught by an Uzumaki.“ he grinned. “So back to the topic...“ he gestured at the seal. “There are several seals in the world, but perhaps for you, the first sort I’m telling about is the even and uneven numbered ones and how they are connected to Shukaku’s own special Jūinjutsu...”

* * *

The next day, when Temari walked into her little brother’s room, she found him practicing calligraphy and a set of odd symbols she’d never seen before. She stood above his shoulder for a good five minutes — she’d never seen Gaara so calm and focused before,— before she spoke up.

“What are you doing Gaara?“ she asked.

Gaara froze mid-stroke and threw her an irrate look, before placing the brush back in the pot of ink. “Practicing callygraphy, Nē-san.”

Temari huffed, rolling her eyes. “I can see _that_. But what for?”

“I want to learn Fūinjutsu. It coresponds with one of Shukaku’s abilites and I want to use those abilities perfectly, so I can help and protect you.”

Temari felt a bit bad for crushing his dream, while also touched, that he wanted to protect them. “Eeh, not to crush your hopes, Otōto, but the only one who can use Fūinjutsu in the village is Chiyo-oba-sama and I doubt she knows enough of Shukaku’s abilities, to teach you in such a manner.”

Gaara shook his head. “I never said I need her help.”

“Then how are you hoping to learn, Gaara?”

Gaara corssed his arms, managing to look bored and serious at once. “You’re forgetting about a certain Kyūbi Jinchūriki. He’s a Senju and an Uzumaki. Both Clans were known for their knowledge in Fūinjutsu. In fact, if you remember our history lesson, the Uzumaki and their village, Uzushio were destroyed by Kumo, Iwa and Kiri. They were so well-versed in seals and Kenjutsu, that it took the three enemy villages several weeks to entirely crush the village. An Uzumaki Seal Master was capable of taking out half-a-platoon of shinobi on their own.”

Temari’s eyes went wide and she paled. Shit... how could she have forgotten _that_ tidbit of history? Now she knew from _where_ the whiskered blonde’s name was so familiar! Suddenly she was so very, _very_ glad, that the blonde and the Uchiha were their allies.

“Uh, but he’s miles from here, Gaara. Okay, maybe he is a certified Seal Master, but how can he teach you _anything_?”

Gaara grinned mischeviously, the expression odd on his previously serious and blood-thirsty face. “He’s a Jinchūriki like me. Our Bijū can form a connection, which we can use to meet. I met him last night and he started teaching me about seals. And since time goes differently in _there_ , than out here, I think, I managed to pick up fairly much of the theory he’d been explaining.”

Temari paled even more. An Uzumaki teaching her little brother about seals, only cause he was being nice, as Jinchūriki to Jinchūriki. And Shukaku was known for his special Curse marks as well...

 _‘Note to self. Don’t **ever** piss off Gaara in the future.‘_ she thought, sweat forming on her forehead.

* * *

It was odd, Itachi decided. No. It was downright _creepy_.

He had gone out to buy a few things to the market, Naruto’s special tracking-restrinction seal making sure he would not leave a certain radius of the Namikaze residence. (It was the only way he was allowed to leave the house and even then, there was a squad of ANBU nearby, watching his every move, like hawks.) Despite most of the Uchiha mess being known, some of the village were still unsure of his loyalty, so he had to endure the probation.

He had come out early, to avoid most of the people and their whispers and stares. But he had run into several Hyūga. And all of them were smiling and chatting airily as if there was nothing wrong with the world. _He had seen Hy_ _ūga smiling and heard them laughing._ He didn’t even need the Sharingan, for the strange/traumatising experience to be burned into his mind forever, with no hope of forgetting it. Damn the Uchiha genetics and the naturally eidetic memory.

(He would have liked to have a few words with the first wielder of the Sharingan, whoever it was. _Seriously_ , said person was the progenitor of an _entire Clan,_ which means, they should have had some control over their power. (Persumably, _great_ power.) Could this person not have done _something_ with the memorising abilities? Like _turning them off_ _completely_ , when the Sharingan was inactive.)

The most shocking thing was, when he was done with the shopping, paper bags in hand, he ran into a few Academy students — maybe a year or so from Graduation. Well, two students — a girl and a boy, both of them Hyūga, their eyes dead giveaway of their heritage. The girl was the one to approach him first, the boy following her more cautiously.

“Are you related to Sasuke-sama?“ the boy asked seriously.

Itachi blinked. _Sasuke- **sama**?_ Did the kid just address his little brother with... Itachi took a deep breath. No, he’s not going to lose it in the middle of the street. People still feared him, he didn’t need the village to think he was raving mad. (Because he _wasn’t._ He _was_ ill, but he wasn’t mad.)

“Yes, he’s my brother.” he said.

The girl scowled at the boy. “Don’t be _ridiculous_ , Hideaki! You heard them at the compound! Sasuke-sama was Naruto-sama’s brother!”

“But he looks just like him!” the boy shot back, making an angry gesture.

“Actually...“ Itachi cut them off, feeling awkward, as he noticed a terrified Hyūga woman watching from a safe distance. “Sasuke is my Otōto. We’re both Uchihas. Naruto and Sasuke are brothers, because they have sworn it. They have different parents. But they grew up together, so they are also kind of like brothers.” he explained as simply, as possible.

“ _See_ , Hatsuyo?“ Hideaki shot back at the girl. “It _told_ you they are related.” the girl pouted and crossed her arms. The boy scowled at her, before offering a small basket. “Would you please take this to Sasuke-sama and Naruto-sama? We’d like to thank them for helping us!” the boy said cheerfully.

Itachi noted distantly, that Hideaki had the same sunny disposition as Naruto, if only with the childish innocence still mostly present.

Feeling even more awkward now, very _aware_ of the poor woman’s terrified gaze on him, he took the basket from the boy and nodded. “I will give it to them, when I make it home.”

The girl’s eyes went wide. “You _live_ with them?”

 _‘Oho, childish hero worship.‘_ the Uchiha prodigy noted amusedly. _‘This will be fun to watch in the future.‘_

He nodded calmly. “Yes. In the Namikaze house.”

“But wait,“ Hideaki murmured, “if Sasuke-sama and Naruto-sama are brothers... and you’re Sasuke-sama’s brother, does that mean you’re _also_ Naruto-sama’s brother?”

Itachi blinked at the unexpected question, chewing it over in his mind. Could he call the blonde his brother? Well, their parents had been very close and Sasuke did treat the blonde, as a brother, without thinking. So, in an odd sort of way... perhaps it made Naruto _his_ brother too? The blonde was certainly making an effort to make him feel at home and at ease.

“Well, I think so.” he said, a bit unsure.

 _“Sugoi!”_ the children squeeled.

“I would want brothers like them too.” the girl said.

The woman gathered her courage and marched over, grabbing the children. She bowed her head to hide the fear in her eyes, but Itachi saw it anyway. “Now, now. Don’t keep up Uchiha-san. I think he’s quite in the hurry.”

Itachi shook his head. “No harm done, Hyūga-san. Have a nice day.”

The children waved at him excitedly, as the woman steered them towards the Clan District. Itachi huffed. This was so, so awkward.

And... even if the village labelled him a Missing-nin for it again, he’s going to keep the fangirls/fanboys from his little brother. And Naruto too. He was the eldest of the three and he was responsible for them. He refused to let the two boys know the horros of a fanclub.

* * *

 _Coughing_. 

Naruto’s eyes narrowed, as the dry, bone-rattlinlg sound filled the house again. He’s heard it a few times, since the older Uchiha moved in, but this was the worst fit so far. It stirred the medic side of him and worry filled his heart. 

He carefully climbed out of bed and darted into the kitchen. Sasuke was out, training with Kakashi, altough he promised to finish sooner, than normal. He leaned against the wall, just as Itachi stood to his full height again, having bent forward from the force of his coughs. 

“Are you alright, Itachi?” he asked calmly. The Uchiha turned to look at him. Since he had been ordered to rest, Itachi has been doing the coocking for them, as neither of them wanted to risk Sasuke accidentally burning down the kitchen.

The older shinobi gave a strained smile. “I am. Nothing to worry about.”

“You should go and see Tsunade-sensei.”

“It will pass, Naruto-kun.” Itachi insisted.

The blonde scowled, eyes narrowed. “I’ve dealt with Sasuke for _ages_ , so I know that tone. Besides, you never, _ever_ try lying to an empathic sensor. ”

Itachi’s eyes went wide. “I...”

Naruto waved him off with an annoyed look. “I’m starting to think, that downplaying your medical condition is the _real_ curse you Uchihas struggle with and _not_ the Nikushimi no Noroi. Sasuke _still_ tries to do it every single time, even though he knows that as a medic, I will notice and if he tries lying I will sense it.”

Itachi grimaced. “Gomen. I just...”

Naruto cut him off with a sharp look. “We’ll speak about it, when Nī-sama gets back.”

The Uchiha hummed, a resigned look on his face. But then, suddenly his eyes glinted. “Actually, I’d like to speak about something too.”

Naruto arched an eyebrow. “Which is?” He had a vague idea, but he wanted to hear it from Itachi. Surely, the genius he was, he noticed how different they were from others their age.

“There were things, that I’ve noticed this past few days and...”

“I would think it has something to do with our behaviour.” he stated.

“Yes, partially. And with how Sasuke managed to turn _Tsukuyomi_ against me.” he murmured and Naruto felt his disbelief spike up.

The blonde chuckled. “It’s connected to what we want to tell you. But in exchange, you tell me about your little _problem_.”

Itachi sighed. “Very well.”

* * *

Sasuke made it home barely half an hour later, more annoyed, than anything. Naruto didn’t even bother asking, knowing his brother would tell anyway.

As it turned out, it was just Kakashi whining about his book, which Sasuke had managed to turn into a pile of ashes, while demonstrating the workings of a Raiton jutsu. Typical Kakashi...

“So he’s noticed...” Sasuke muttered, as Naruto recounted his exchange with Itachi. “I wanted to tell him anyway. We told Kakashi and Yamato, after all.” he shrugged.

Naruto hummed and nodded. “You think we can tell him?”

Sasuke nodded, his black eyes glinting. “Hai.”

Ten minutes later the two found Itachi in his new room, reading. It was Sasuke, who spoke first.

“Nī-san, do you have a moment?”

Itachi looked up and smiled. “Of course, Otōto.”

They walked in and Itachi set his book aside. The boys sat on the rug, facing the older shinobi.

“First we’d ask you to keep what we will tell you, a secret. Kakashi and Yamato know, so you can discuss it with them. Oh and Hyūga Neji. The three Hokage also know –knew?– as we told them before _Edo Tensei_ was cancelled. But no one else, because it’s dangerous information, which may endanger the very existance of this world.” Sasuke explained, tone serious.

Itachi’s face was serious, as he nodded, altough his eyes flashed with some worry. “I understand.”

“Good.” Naruto nodded with a smile. “Quick question before we start. Who was the Rikudō Sennin?”

Itachi gave him an odd look, but answered anyway. “A man of legends, who brought peace and introduced Ninjutsu to the world. Rumour has it that the Uchiha and the Senju are his descendants.”

“Yes and no.” Sasuke said with a sigh, “He introduced chakra and spread a religion based on understanding, teamwork and love. _Ninshū_.”

“And you were just a bit off-the-mark with descent.” Naruto murmured, “His _sons_ were the progenitors of three of the Five Great Clans. The older was the forefather of the Uchiha, while the younger’s descendants were the Senju and at a later time, the Uzumaki. It was also the sons’ feud, that caused the hundreds of years of bloody rivalry between the Clans. But this is the simple version. The real story includes manipulation and reincarnation...”

* * *

Itachi stared, eyes wide.

His baby brother _wasn’t_ his baby brother. (His entire world shattered.)

His baby brother _was Ōtsutsuki Indra_ , first user of the Sharingan. (Suddenly, his not-so-nice thoughts from the morning about the Sharingan came back, but all the complaints died on his tongue. For one, he didn't want to upset his otōto and secondly, he did not feel like pissing off the Sennin’s (former?) sons, when they sat across from him.)

And Naruto... The blonde was Sasuke’s brother. Well, at least now he knew _why_ the boys were so close. Hundreds of years...

He stood up slowly, careful not to topple over his book.

“ ’tachi?” Sasuke asked, rising an eyebrow.

“If you excuse me, I need a moment.” he murmured.

 _’I need a drink.’_ he thought. Even before the boys could say a word, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves. He hoped –prayed– that there was a bar within the vicinity of his seal.

* * *

It was after two saké and a lenghty conversation with Yamato and Kakashi– who apperently also knew of this reincarnation mess,– that he returned to the Namikaze residence.

Naruto was spawled on the couch, snoring softly, his limbs in such awkward angles, that even looking at the blonde caused phantom pain in his limbs.

“Like a cat.” Sasuke said, chuckling fondly, as he shook his head. “He’s capable of sleeping anywhere, at any time of the day. Always hyperactive... well, in a way and when exhaustion hits him, he sleeps like a rock. I think he picked up Shukaku’s sleeping habits between my distance time and his naming as the Heir of Ninshū.”

Itachi hummed, glancing at Sasuke – or did he prefer _Indra_ now? He did after all, speak of the Dawn of Chakra, as it had been yesterday. Sasuke looked at him with a soft look, as if he read his mind.

“I’m still _me_ , Onī-san.” he whispered. “I’m still the boy you poked in the forehead and told to play with later. However, I am no longer unaware of what life is– that nothing ever goes to plan. I am, in a way, a grown, battle-hardened man, who knows pain, love and betrayal. Someone, who has many, _many_ things to regret. But I also learned to let go of the past –just like Otōto. We learned to work together after so long. We learned, that we don’t have to tackle our –and the world’s– problems alone. We learned, that together, we can do, what Otō-sama and Oji-sama had done. So, I’m still Sasuke. But I am also Indra. A boy and man, who has seen a different world. A different time. I would say you don’t have to think differently of me, but I know you would never be able to do that. So instead, I say this – _never forget_ we are kin. That we are brothers. And never forget, that _I know_ , what it’s like to have a little brother.” he gestured at Naruto, “I know what it feels like– taking on the world, maybe even burning the world–, if it means, that people who mean the most are safe and happy.”

Itachi smiled, touched. This was Sasuke. This was Indra. His baby brother, who was so much more, than Itachi could have ever imagined him to be. He stepped closer and hugged Sasuke. Sasuke returned the hug just as strongly, without hesitation.

“Uchiha progenitor or no, you’re still my precious Otōto.”

“Technically, I’m _older,_ than you.” Sasuke said, a smirk forming on his lips.

Itachi’s eyes narrowed and he whacked his brother in the back of the head lightly. “You picked up too much of Naruto’s cheekiness.”

“I’ve no idea, what you’re talking about, Onī-san.” Sasuke answered, his tone a perfect mix of calmness and conviction, smirk still in place. But Itachi knew better – Sasuke _knew_ what he was talking about he just didn’t want to addmit. So, in a moment of childish brotherly revenge, he moved forwards, tacking Sasuke to the ground, which caused him to cry out indigniantly.

Itachi laughed, as the previous smirk turned into a childish pout, as they rolled on the floor of the appartment. (He almost didn’t even remember what was it like to be a carefree child. Being a prodigy, with a demanding father as his, he hadn’t really had the time or the chance to be a proper child, who played with friends or asked for a bedtime story from his mother.) That was the one thing he regretted the most.

No. What he regretted the most, was that he had taken the same chance from Sasuke — the enire Clan had taken that chance from him, when they’d planned the coup. But... a part of him, which wished for a peaceful world, felt a bit more at ease. Kami knew what would have happened, if he hadn’t tried using Tsukuyomi on Sasuke. Perhaps then, Sasuke would have never remembered and now, his little brother and Naruto would be much less prepared for Akatsuki and the destruction those madmen were planning.

His laughter and good mood died the moment the breath stuck in his troath, causing another coughing fit. Sasuke froze and sat up, trying to help him, but even moving hurt. He couldn’t even breath, it was like someone had rammed a kunai between his ribs... oh, no, no... _not now!_

“ ** _Asura_** , _wake up!_ ” Sasuke called, his voice like rumbling thunder, stern and desperate at the same time.

Itachi tried forming words, but they died in his troath, worsening his fit even more. He tried breathing trough his nose, but it didn’t seem to be working. It was like there was not enough oxygen, no matter what he did. Slowly even his senses were getting muddled from the lack of air.

And then, he sensed someone next to him — most likely Naruto. He felt hands on his body. One on his upper back and another on his ribs. As the powerful, soothing chakra entered his body, it helped his breath escape and it eased the intense, burning pain. It took several minutes, but then the pain in his lungs faded and air filled his whole being again.

Naruto’s chakra was like a calm current, carrying all the oxygen his body needed. As the pain faded, he was overtaken by tiredness. Naruto shifted just a bit and soon, Itachi realised that the two younger shinobi were the ones, who kept him in a half-laying position. Slowly, Naruto was drawing his chakra back, drop by drop. As it left, Itachi felt his body become heavier. He needed a moment to realise, that Naruto had sedated him, but it was too late.

The calming chakra took effect, drawing him into darkness.

* * *

Sasuke tapped his feet softly against the floor of Itachi’s room in a nervous rythm. He watched Naruto’s hands glow green with medical chakra, as he analised the situation. Of course, he’d noticed Itachi couhing, since he was back, but he had honestly thought it was just a bad cold or something.

But no. This was serious. Much, _much_ more serious — his brother had almost choked to death.

After another few moments, Naruto’s hands stopped glowing and he sighed. Sasuke’s eyes snapped up, his Sharingan whirling agitatedly. This was the problem with his Kekkei Genkai — it was so tied with his strong emotions, that whenever he was over a certain invisible line, his eyes would just activte. “Well?“ he whispered, almost fearing the answer, “What’s wrong with him?”

Naruto scowled at him, rolling his eyes. “I’m starting to think it wasn’t only the Curse, that stuck with the Uchihas, but your special sort of _idiocy_ as well.“ he growled.

Sasuke wrinkled his nose, but he had no comeback to that. He _had_ after all, always hated, when people saw him sick or otherwise weak. He remembered, that he hadn’t even allowed his _wife_ to see him like that, years after their father’s death. (Heck, he hadn’t allowed their _father_ to see him like that, even when younger.) “What’s wrong with him?”

“He might have caught a cold sometime and it hadn’t been properly cured. Then, all that fire jutsu he uses hurt him even more. The superheated chakra, the whisps of smoke he breathed in after each one... worse and worse each time. And then another cold, even harder for him to get out of it... even more smoke... it weakened the chakra circulation in his lungs, that is meant to clean that part of the body from toxic fumes, caused by smoke or gas-based poison.“ Naruto shook his head. “A never ending cycle. It weakened his lungs so much, that I’m even surprised he lasted this long. If he were any more careless — a year or so and he would have gradually weakened from the low oxygen level in his blood and then his lungs would just have stopped working.”

Sasuke blinked, making sense of what Naruto was trying to say. “Are...are you saying he would have died from _badly treated cold and smoke in his lungs_?”

Naruto nodded, his face serious. “Ahm, yes, basicly.”

Sasuke groaned, hitting his head against the wall. “Baka. Baka. Baka Itachi. _Bakatachi_.” Sasuke huffed, rubbing his forehead. “Can you heal him?”

“I’ve heard of such thing happening, but hadn’t encountered it before. So, I’ll go and speak with Oba-san about it. I’ll leave a few herbs here, that you should smoke, when he wakes up. They’ll help his breathing and will start cleaning his lungs a bit.”

Sasuke nodded. “Okay.”

“Oh and it seems his illess was affecting him wholly, which means, that as a side effect of his current condition, he’s malnourished. Just a bit. Make sure he eats something, while I’m away.”

Sasuke twitched. His brother hadn’t been taking care of himself at all.

“ _Bakatachi_.” he grunted irrately. (He was starting to think that maybe, just _maybe_ Itachi was born into the wrong Clan. He cartainly would have passed for the stupidest Senju/Uzumaki, if the Clans were still thrieving. Not even Naruto was _this_ stupid, on the worst of his days.)

* * *

Tsunade blinked at him, slowly placing her saké on her desk. “Uchiha Itachi is _what?_ ”

Naruto hummed. “You heard me, Oba-san. I helped him out of the last fit and while unconscious, I checked his condition. I left a handful of herbs for Sasuke to smoke when he wakes up. They’ll ease his breathing, altough I don’t really know how else should we deal with this, considering his current state of malnourishment.”

His aunt groaned, her forehead hitting the sturdy oak desk with a loud thud. “For a supposed prodigy, he is really _stupid_.“

“Yeah. Nī-sama said the same thing.”

“Well, I’ll trust your diagnosis Naruto. Make sure he gains some weight and keep an eye on him for those coughing fits. We’ll give him a week or so to gain some strenght and then I’ll visit and see what’ll we do from there. From what you say, with some extra effort, he is still completely curable. There might be some life-long consequences, but he _will_ live.”

The blonde smiled. “Wonderful.”

As he turned away from the Kage desk, he heard his aunt take another sip of her drink, muttering about not getting enough payment for all the extra work she had to do because of idiots.

* * *

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief, when Itachi woke up.

“S-Sasuke.” he murmured.

Sasuke shook his head, his Sharingan flashing in agitation. “ _Bakatachi_. What were you thinking, not seeing a proper medic? Or not taking care of yourself at all?“ he gently shoved a plate of warm food into his brother’s lap, as Itachi sat up.

“Sasuke...”

“ _Don’t_ say anything. Otōto was the one, who laid down the bacis of chakra-based medicine. He learned from Hashirama-sama, while the Hokage were here and now he’s studying under Tsunade. And do you know what he said?“ his eyes narrowed. “That all this mess could have been avoided, if you went to see a medic and it could have been just a _civilian_ , not even a shinobi.” he gestured at the food. “Better eat that to the last morsel. _Malnourished_... how the _hell_ do you fight like that?”

Itachi opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and turned to his food instead. Satisfied with the scene, Sasuke slipped out of the room, to grab the herbs Naruto has left and when he returned, he ignited them just with a tiny bit of Katon chakra, releasing a long line of pleasant smelling smoke. He placed the small bowl on the windowsill and glanced at Itachi, who was still eating.

“You don’t get to scare me like that again, or the Shinju help me, there won’t a Shunshin fast enough to save you from what you’ll get in return.“ he murmured headtedly.

“It’s nothing serious....”

Sasuke snorted. “You’re trying to deceive the wrong person, Onī-san. I’ve seen, that you have almost choked out there. If not for Naruto...“ he shook his head.

Itachi gave him a tiny, apologetic smile. “Gomen, Sasuke-chan.”

Sasuke growled a bit. “I’m just a _bit too old_ , to be called that, Itachi. And I still have my dignity, so my brother or not, you don’t get to use that.”

“Sasuke- _kun_ , then.“ his brother corrected, between two bites.

Sasuke huffed. “A notch better, I suppose.”

Once Itachi was done with his food, Sasuke took the empty plate and hugged his brother for a moment, burrying his face in the crook of Itachi’s neck. Itachi hugged him back and then a moment later Sasuke stepped away. “Now, best for you to rest. You need anything, just call.”

“Sasuke, I can...”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. “You’re sick and I refuse to have you wandering around. You’ll just stay in here, safe. But, for the rest of today, you’re bedbound and I know enough about these sort of things, to know you need sleep. So, chop, chop...“ he made an offhanded gesture at the covers, “before I put you under a Genjutsu.”

“You wouldn’t.“ Itachi said simply.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow, his eyes morphing into the Mangekyō. “You want to _bet_ , ’tachi?“

Itachi’s right eye twitched, but then he sighed in resignation and sunk under his covers. “No respect for your elders at all, hm?“ he murmured under his breath, “Is that something you picked from Naruto-kun, too?“

Sasuke smirked. “No. It’s just that I’m _older_ , than you.”

The half sulky, half irrate expression, that crossed Itachi’s face was the _best one_ he’d seen all his life. He couldn’t help the deep, troathy laughter that escaped him, as he wandered into the kitchen to clean up, while his brother rested.

Worry aside, it was nice to have Itachi back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene I wrote with Itachi is real - well, was real for me. Something like this happened (and still happens) with me, altough the causes for me are different, as you can expect - because Itachi´s illness is kind of "fictional"...
> 
> As always, please leave comments, they are my energy :3


	40. The Snake’s Lair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not as good, as I wanted it to be, but... Meh. I didn´t know how to deal with this properly... Hope it´s acceptable anyway.

Naruto was the biggest enigma of the world, Tsunade decided.

There were times, when he was so focused and serious, that she questioned his age — he acted more like a thirty-something war-veteran and not a boy, who had, a few months ago, still sat behind Academy doors. There were times, when he was a bouncing ball of energy, which would have made her think he was strugling with serious ADHD. And there were times like _this_.

Naruto had come to her early in the morning for training, but she was so swammed with paperwork, that she could not hope to spare the poor blonde some of her time. Not yet — maybe tomorrow. But Naruto had been presistent, so she had come up with another idea. She’d explained the workings of her Byakugō Seal and gave Naruto a scroll on it. Everything a user of the jutsu had to know about the Seal, was in the scroll. So she had given it to him and told him to read it there and backwards. He had to know the last Kanji on the scroll to the dot, if he ever wanted a seal, like hers.

He had finished reading a long while ago and had settled in a meditative position, after drawing the rather simple _shikki_ on himself, to gather his chakra. She knew that he had enough chakra to form it right now, but she doubted he had good enough control. His control was impressive, considering the Kage-level reserves, but he might just need a bit more time, to form the Seal.

But it didn’t seem to deter him from trying.

So he sat there, under the massive plants in the office — the plants her grandfather had grown and nurtured with his Mokuton. He sat there, meditating and trying to form his own Seal. (If he would manage it, as a Jinchūriki, she’ll _eat_ that damn Hokage hat. Because... while she wanted him to be a medic and as the last of her kin, wanted him to be _safe_ , the large part of her still said, that he will never achieve a Byakugō. Her grandmother already had her Seal for years, when she sealed the Fox within herself.)

Ninja came and went, asking for missions and reporting completed ones and Naruto had never once twitched from his position. He sat there like a statue.

It was Team Eight, who came in next, reporting a mission sucess, Kiba being his usual exuberant self. Not even the loud nature of the Inuzaka bothered Naruto. “Huh, what is Naruto doing here like _that_?” the dog-tamer asked, gesturing at Naruto.

Tsunade hummed. “Meditating. It’s part of his training, as a medic needs perfect chakra control and inner balance, to always keep a clear mind.“ she explained.

Hinata glanced around the noisy office, then her pale eyes settled on Naruto again. “But you need a _calm_ environment to meditate. _How_ can he meditate in such a noise?”

Tsunade shook her head. “I honestly have no idea. I keep wondering myself. But he’d been like that for hours now, so whatever he’s doing, he’s doing it fine, I would say.”

Kurenai also turned to her to speak, but all their eyes snapped back to Naruto very fast, as chakra spiked in the office, strong enough to cause the ANBU squad guarding her to reveal themselves, forming a loose circle around her desk. The chakra turned into a visible flame of blue and green, tinted with the tiniest amount of gold around Naruto, ruffling his hair and causing a gentle breeze to blow in the office. The plants behind him burst into life, various colourful flowers on them.

Then, slowly, it was fading, the chakra turning denser, more concentrated with every passing second. Her eyes went wide, as she saw the faint, bluish outline of the Byakugō forming in the middle of his forehead...

... and there was a tiny slip.

The ground and the pots all cracked and Naruto opened his eyes with a frustrated growl. _“Shinju fucking **damn** it!” _he snarled and for a moment, she saw his eyes turning to slits, before they were human again. “I _almost_ had it!”

Her jaw dropped. He... she’d seen it... he had... _‘What’s the kid made of?!!‘_ she thought in disbelief.

“Na...Naruto...“ she called, blindly reaching for her emergency stack of saké.

Naruto huffed and looked up. “Yes, sensei?” she made a gesture and Naruto looked around, smiling sheepishly. “Gomen. I’ll fix the office when you retire for the day.”

She took a big glup of the alcohol. “Naruto... I honestly didn’t think you’ll ever be able to form a Byakugō. Not with you... sharing Kushina’s condition.”

Naruto’s eyebrows knotted together in confusion. “But Mito oba-san had one, too. She taught you and _she_ was like me and Okā-san. Why wouldn’t **_I_** be able to do it?”

Tsunade huffed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “No. You don’t _understand_ , Naruto. With your _condtion_ , Mokuton or no, it should be _impossible_ to form a Byakugō, no matter how much you train. I... just wanted to see how determined you were in becoming a medic. The Seal was the last thing I mentioned and this is why. But... but I’ve _seen_ it.“ she muttered in disbelief. “I’ve seen the outline, before you lost your grip. I... I don’t know what sort of medical miracle you are or what sort of prodigy... but despite everything, you can do it. It just... needs more time.” she took a deep breath. “So, don’t give up. Refine your medical knowledge and your control. Meditate. It’ll work out eventually. Just don’t push it.”

Naruto grinned widely. “So, despite being like Okā-san and Oba-san, I _can_ have a Seal?”

She nodded numbly. “Hai. Just give it some time. Now... how about you go home and rest? Come back before sundown to fix the mess and that’s it. We’re done for today.”

He nodded, standing up slowly. “Alright. Will you be coming to check on Itachi?”

“Shizune’s there. I sent her, when you arrived.”

As he leapt out of the office via window, Tsunade tooked at the stone face of her second-cousin. “What’s your son made of, Minato?“ she muttered.

Predictably, the stone face didn’t answer.

* * *

“Your mission will be to try tracking Orochimaru.“ Tsunade said, offering a small scroll to Sasuke. Sasuke took it without question. “Jiraiya and Kakashi will be going with you.”

Sasuke nodded. “What of Itachi?“ he asked with a hint of worry in his tone. He had no intention to leave his brother behind, in his current condition.

“Tenzo will stay with him and we’ll keep an eye on him with Shizune. If he’s strong enough, we might already start his treatment.“ the Hokage said, her brown eyes softening. “Don’t worry, Sasuke. A few weeks and your brother may even return to shinobi duty, if he wants to. We’ll just have to make sure that he ueses the least possible Katon jutsu, his affinity or not.”

Sasuke sighed in relief. “Arigato, sensei.”

“Off with you three.“ she made an impatient gesture. “And be careful.”

“We’re always careful, Oba-san.” Naruto said, as he hugged the woman in passing. She gave his brother a look, but hugged him back, before gently shoving Naruto towards the door.

With one last backwards glance at the Hokage, they left. They had a traitor to find.

* * *

After several days of travel, they reached the Valley of the End, which served as the border between Fire and Sound.

“The greatest traitor and madman of history.” muttered Sasuke darkly, as his Sharingan settled on Madara’s statue.

“He _was_ a traitor.“ Jiraiya agreed, “But why would you say, madman? He was still a Head of your Clan at one point.”

Sasuke scowled. “And my Clan were just as blind — most of them, that is— as Madara had been. Hatered is no answer to things. It just brings more bloodshed and pain. Besides, don’t tell me that a man, who uses his Sharingan — no matter how powerful that Sharingan is— to ensalve the strongest of the Bijū is _sane_. Humans always avoided the Nine before Madara had the fucking brilliant idea, to use the Fox, as a puppet. And now? Look at how things turned out. The fucker just gave ideas to others and a Madara-wannabe killed our Yondaime and his wife, essetially leaving Naruto an orphan and me, without a guardian. Because if they had lived, I’m sure they would have taken me in, considering who’s my godmother.”

“Fair point.“ Kakashi said softly. “And Kami knows, perhaps Minato-sensei could have stopped Danzo’s meddling and could have beaten some sense into your Clan.”

Sasuke snorted derisively. “Not everyone. But perhaps, at least _some_ of my Clan would still be alive, if that was the case. But it’s pointless to speak of things we can’t change. Let’s go before I get the urge to smash in the fucker’s stone face, my _ancestor_ or not.“ he leapt in the direction of Sound.

“What’s with him?“ Jiraiya asked. “Madara’s not a well-liked one, I get it, but...”

Sasuke didn’t hear the rest of what Jiraiya said, but it didn’t matter. Naruto was soon next to him, as they sped towards the general diraction, where the Toad Sannin suspected his former teammate’s hideout to be. That is, until Naruto came to a sreeching halt, so that his feet left the ground torn up.

Kakashi and Jiraiya stopped too, the white-haired man obviously unhappy at the sudden change of peace, but before he could speak, Sasuke waved him off. Naruto had sensed something.

“Large, dense reserves of chakra a bit to the west.“ Naruto said. “It... it’s adamantine chakra.” he whispered in shock. As his eyes flew open, they wre wide.

Sasuke’s eyes went wide too. “An Uzumaki?” he whispered, quite shocked. He never thought he would hear such words from his brother or that he would associate the Seal Master Clan to anyone, but Naruto. The Uzumaki were all but extinct, save for Naruto and distantly, Tsunade. Or maybe not. Maybe there was still one of their kin out there? One, whom Naruto could share a name with? Perhaps they could save the legacy of the Ōtsutsuki?

Naruto nodded. “For sure.”

Kakashi and Jiraiya shared a look, both of them surprised, just as Sasuke was. It was after a long moment of silence, that the Sannin nodded. “Lead us, Naruto.”

* * *

Uzumaki Karin was having a very, _very_ bad day. First, she had to endure the arguments of Suigetsu and Jūgo and then some of Orochimaru’s prisoners escaped and she was sent along with Jūgo to capture them. And somehow — she still didn’t know how— she managed to lose them. Not only the prisoners, but Jūgo as well. Just how far all of them were, to be out of her Sensory range?

She scowled in annoyance... but deep within, fear sparked in her heart. Orochimaru didn’t tolerate failure. She had grown somewhat close to Kimimaro ad trough the sickly, Kaguya she formed a sort of bond with Jugō as well, altough he still wasn’t comfortable around her, fearing he would lose control of his abilities.

The three of them had the oddest of friendship, if she could even call it that. First, coming with Orochimaru, after her mother’s death, had seemed a good idea. Now it was anything but. Of course, if not for that decision, he would have never met Jūgo and Kimimaro. He was glad he’d met them... but being around the Snake summoner was anything but nice. But they didn’t realy have other chance.

But now, they were failing their mission and that made her even more afraid.

She froze when she felt four chakra signatures approach. One was high-Jōnin level, the second was close to Orochimaru’s. The third was somewhere between the first two and was surprisingly potent and old. No, it felt _ancient_. The fourth one was so... so massive, that she could barely believe it was human. It was dense and massive and had the same _ancient_ feeling, as the third one.

And they were speeding towards her. Her breath hitched.

She couldn’t hope to take out four shinobi of such level! Not alone. Where was Jugō, when she needed him most? Altough, she doubted they would make it out, even if he was here. Moments later, four people leapt from the treetops, stopping a few feet from her. She took a step back, ready to run, altough considering how fast they’d reached her, she doubted she could escape them.

The first was a tall man with white hair. One, whom she recognised from Orochimaru’s brief descriptions — Jiraiya, the Gama Sennin, Orochimaru’s former teammate. The second was a younger man with gravity-defying, silver hair, only a single black eyes visible, his other eyes covered by a slanted Konoha headband, the lower half of his face covered by dark blue mask. He wore a Jōnin jacket. The third one, with the prickling, ancient chakra was a boy her age. He was... simply put, handsome. Black hair tinted with dark blue, pale skin, aristocratic features. (Was that paint under his eyes?) His eyes were bloody red, three tomoe circling the pupils. She’d heard of him too — Uchiha Sasuke, someone Orochimaru wanted badly for his eyes and his skills. His chakra was warm and prickling at once, but there was a lurking something... like a subtle warning not to approach.

But it was the fourth individual, who caught her attention the most. His chakra was massive — he had _more_ , than she thought a human could have,— and it felt calm and sunny. Warm and serene, like nature. But he also had a strong undertone — one she was very, _very_ familiar with, for her mother had had the same chakra. It was the dense adamantine chakra, unique to the members of the Uzumaki Clan. But... he was blonde... Uzumaki usually had red hair. Perhaps he was a half-blood and taken after his non-Uzumaki parent? (His eyes however, were an Uzumaki shade. Blue, purple, violet, red and brown or such variations were the most common, she remembered her mother say. Brown, black, violet and their variations popped up most often in the Main Family of their Clan and those closely related.)

But if a half-blood, how the hell did he have such powerful chakra?!

She took a step back. The blonde took a step forwards, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. “What are you doing out here alone, Uzumaki-san?”

Her eyes went wide. How did the blonde...?

“I’m a Sensor.“ he said, tone soft. “Only Uzumaki have that sort of chakra — it’s unique to the Clan. Enables us to perform several Clan-specific jutsu. _Kongō Fūsa_ , most notably. And from your expression, you’re a Sensor yourself. You can feel our chakra, can’t you? You felt our approach.“

“What do you want?“ she whispered. The blonde’s chakra was nice and calming, but that didn’t mean she trusted them.

“We’re looking for someone... and considering that you smell of snakes, you can tell us, where we will find him.”

Her breath hitched. They were here because of Orochimaru. She should have known. They were Konoha shinobi and she’d heard of the Missing-nin’s failed attempt at Invasion a month or so ago. “I don’t know...”

“ _Don’t_ try lying to me, Uzumaki-san.“ the blonde warned, “I can tell, if you do. Now, we’re kin and I refuse to harm my own blood, but I can bind you and my teammate can still get the information we want. Or, you can sit down and introduce yourself. And tell us where to find the slippery bastard.”

Karin shivered, as he heard the cold tone. It was such a contrast from his previous words... She was happy to find another of her own. She thought she’d never see an Uzumaki again. That she was doomed to trying to survive Orochimaru or if she _somehow_ made it out of his influence, then doomed to hiding...

She’d wanted to leave for a long time. Perhaps this was a chance?

She sallowed hard and sat down, studying the blonde. “I...If I tell you what you want to know, can I go with you? I don’t think I’d survive any more of his sick tendencies.” she shivered.

The blonde glanced at his teammates. The one she knew was Jiraiya nodded. “A reasonable request, I believe. Anyone, who isn’t brain-dead, would want to be away from Orochimaru. He had the tendency to pick up young shinobi and kids, with bad life. The ones, who had special abilities. As an Uzumaki, even without a Kekkei Genkai, she qualifies, as special. Gods know he had always been too interested in your mother.”

The blonde scowled. “I’m so happy she and Otō-san had gained reputation, that made even him wary. But perhaps Okā-san should have made target practice out of the snake for her chains.”

Jiraiya chuckled. “Trust me, she did. And your father too. Orochimaru cursed them both for it.”

The blonde hummed, obviously satisfied. her eses widened a bit, hearing that. She briefly wondered, how strong this mystery Uzumaki’s parents were, to make someone like Orochimaru wary. The blonde sat down as well, where he stood and the Uchiha next to him — close, as if they were best firnds, or brothers. People, who’d gotten used to the other a long ago and drew comfort from the familiar presence. The Sannin and the Jōnin sat just a bit farther, flanking the boys.

“My name is Naruto. Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.“ the blonde said, grinning a bit, “This is my brother, Uchiha Sasuke. Silver over there is our sensei, Hatake Kakahi. And I’m sure you recognised Jiraiya.”

Her head spun. Senju-Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were the names, that Orochimaru kept cursing, very colourfully and creatively, after the failed Invaison. These boys — probably very close to her own age— were talented enough to stop the Sanke Sannin’s plans?

Not to mention Hatake Kakashi was another name in Bingo Books, Nation wide... nicknamed _Sharingan Kakashi_ , for posessing the Uchiha Kekkei Genkai in one eye (most likely the covered one) and rumoured to have copied a thousand jutsu.

She gluped, stealing the two a wary, yet curious glance. The Senju-Uchiha rivalry was so known, that there was not a person in the Nations, who didn’t know about it. Yet... yet Naruto called Sasuke his brother. Odd.

“My name is Uzumaki Karin.” she murmured. This was her chance to get away... and perhaps she could bring Jūgo and Kimimaro along.

* * *

With Karin leading them, it didn’t take long to reach Orochimaru’s hideout. There were no visible guards, nor could he feel anyone hiding outside. Getting inside was also surprisingly easy, as Karin knew the way, so they didn’t set off the security system, which from his brief obsevation, consisted of a few mid-class seals, which were positioned in shrewedly. Naruto however, was anything but calm. According to Karin the Sannin was here somewhere — thus, he kept his senses stretched to the fullest, trying to pinpoint...

He froze.

That chakra was familiar. And on a different part of the place he could sense Orochimaru as welll. “Orochi-teme is in the southest from here.“ he said, poiting to a particular tunnel, “There.” he said, nodding for Kakashi and Jiraiya.

“And what will you two be doing?“ asked Jiraiya.

“We’ll find Karin’s freinds.” Sasuke stated simply.

The Sannin shook his head. “I don’t think...“

“Jiraiya.” Kakashi spoke. “They can take care of themselves. Let’s deal with the traitor.” he said, slowly rising his headband, to reveal his closed eye.

The Sannin‘s eyebrow sneaked upwards on his forehead. “You’d let them go _alone_ , in an unknown territory?”

Kakashi hummed. “They aren’t Genin or wet-behind the ears Chūnin.“

Jiraiya snorted. “No, they aren’t. Instead, they’re _wet-behind the ears Jōnin_. As if it would make so much difference. Look, I give you that — they’re talented. Prodigies of the srot I’ve never seen. Not in you, _hell_ not in Minato, but that doesn’t mean they can go alone.”

“They _can_.” Kakashi said firmly. “I trust them to make it. Let’s go.”

The Sannin sighed. “Kami help me. You are all impossible.“ the man grunted, as he walked down the corridor Naruto pointed out. Kakashi gave them a nod and followed after the man with slightly hurried steps.

With the two senior shinobi gone, Naruto stretched his senses again. He spotted the other familiar chakra signature not too far away. He pointed to another tunnel. “Nī-sama, down that one is one. It feels... _off_ , but it’s definitely familiar. It feels like Oji-sama and Sarvastra.”

Sasuke hummed, as his Sharingan spun. “So I get to meet our Kaguya cousin. Fine.“ he looked at Karin. “May I ask his name?”

Karin blinked at Sasuke oddly, probably thrown-off by his wording. Naruto could feel she was pretty confused. “Kimimaro. Kaguya Kimimaro.”

“Thank you.“ then, his hand on his tantō, Sasuke disappeared down the corridor. Naruto sighed, looking at his fellow Uzumaki.

“Lead the way. I don’t know your friend’s chakra signature.”

She frowned. “Perhaps you know Kimimaro?“

He shook his head. “No. But my cousin was a Kaguya. Those who belong to a Clan, have similar sigantures, which you know. That’s why I coud pinpoint him.”

“But... You said you were an Uzumaki and Senju. How can you have a Kaguya cousin? From what Kimimaro said, many of them were gone and those, who remain...”

Naruto shook his head. “It’s a long story, Karin-san. Just lead the way.”

Karin eyed him for a moment before she grunted and nodded. “Karin will do. Drop, _san_.“ she muttered, as she hurried straight down the corridor.

Naruto followed her without a word.

* * *

Sasuke, using his own Sensory, found the door, which he needed. Cautiously, he reached out, trying to open it, only to find it locked. Scoffing, he kicked it in, using some chakra. When he stepped in, he found rather simple living quarters and a boy perhaps a year older, than himself.

He had snow-white hair, just as Sasuke remembered his uncle and Sarvastra having. It was odd — seeing the trait remain so strong in a bloodline, after hundreds of years. The boy had pale skin and startlingly vivid green eyes. Two red dots were painted above his eyebrows and there was red paint under his eyes.

“Who are you and what do you want?“ Kimimaro demanded, taking his fighting stance. A stance Sasuke was familiar with from the many times he had wiped the floor with Sarvastra. Ouch, in hindsight, he hadn’t been _nice_ to his cousin.

“Someone, who can take you away from here.” he stated simply.

Kimimaro’s eyes narrowed. “And why would I want to leave?“

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me, it’s nice being around Orochimaru. One doesn’t have to be a Sensor, to feel how vile the snake’s chakra is. Don’t tell me you want to stay with a man like him, when Karin and Jūgo are leaving.”

The green eyes flashed, but at the mention of the familiar names, the other eased, just a little bit. “And why would I be interested in going with them?”

“You’re ill. Karin told us — and let me tell you, the snake’s going to throw you away. Ill as you are, you’re not useful to him. Besides, why would you give up your body, your life, when you can have your own?“

Kimimaro snorted. “You’re wrong. He was the one kind to me. He gave me a home. A purpose.”

“A _lame_ purpose,“ Sasuke pointed out, “which takes away your chance to live. You’ve been told all this time what to do, no?“ he quirked an eyebrow and the Kaguya twitched. “Choose your _own_ path. Chose your own fate, your own life. It’s never late to change. Death or being used as someone else’s pawn. Or, you can come with me. We’ll find my brother and your friends and leave Orochimaru behind. Maybe we can even find a way to cure you.”

“And why would I trust you? You don’t know what it’s like to be hated...”

“My brother does, trust me and trough him, so do I. And I know what it’s like to _hate_. What it’s like, when something is taken from you. Don’t let yourself drown in darkness. There’s still kin for you — you just have to be a bit more open-minded.”

“All the Kaguya are gone.” he growled. “I’m the last one.”

Sasuke took a step closer. “Have you _not_ heard the stories? That the Rikudō Sennin and his brother were the ones to bring peace — their children were our ancestors. The Sennin’s sons to Uchiha, Senju and Uzumaki. His brother’s children progenitors of the Hyūga and Kaguya.”

“You don’t know what it’s like when you’re the last...“

“The Uchiha were massacred when I was eight.“ Sasuke said. “The path I treaded from the Academy to my house was painted with blood. Only me and my older brother remain. And... for years, I thought, I was the last Uchiha.“ Okay no. That was a lie — he’d known about Madara and the masked bastard, but those two would never be his family. They may have had his eyes, his blood, but they would never be his family. “So _I_ _know_ , what it’s like to be the last. And up till half an hour ago, my friend thought he was the last Uzumaki alive on the continent. We _know_ that pain.”

Kimimaro’s green eyes were boring into his black ones, but Sasuke didn’t twitch. “Karin wants to flee this place. She hates it here — she found kin and we take in our own. Come with me....” he held out a hand.

“How can I know you speak the _truth_?” the white-hared shinobi asked. “For years, I was hated for my abilities. _Used_. Orochimaru...”

“ _Is using you_.“ Sasuke finished, a bit more forcefully this time. “The Five Ancient Clans should stand together, for we are kin, no matter how meager the link is today. Family does not always have to mean blood, Kimimaro-san.”

Kimimaro frowned. “My illness...”

“We’ll figure something out.” he said. “Have you heard of Senju Tsunade? Like... ever?”

Kimimaro gave a small nod. “Some things. She’s a good medic.“

“The world’s best. “ he said. It was true, she was perhaps only second to Naruto.... but Naruto knew the old ways. Tsunade worked with the modern aspects of medicine. So, he couldn’t really tell, which of them was better. “I’m sure she’ll help you. Don’t throw your life away. _Live it_.”

Kimimaro didn’t move and Sasuke was staring to think, that perhaps _he_ should have gone with the Uzumaki girl. His brother had always been better at convincing people. He was the antisocial out of the two of them and while things had gotten better this time around, no one could beat _Asura_ in what he jokingly (and fondly) dubbed Talk-no-Jutsu.

After what seemed like eternity, the Kaguya (oh, it as so odd to think, that an entire Clan bore his grandmother’s name!) stepped closer and took the offered hand. Sasuke smirked. “Welcome to the family, Kimimaro.”

He dropped the hand and made a gesture for the door and Kimimaro nodded. They just barely stepped out onto the corridor, when a great explosion went off, shaking the entire place. Cursing very, _very_ colourfully — he was sure his father would have whacked him over the head with his shakujō for it,— he grabbed the Kaguya and allowed his chakra to wrap around the other and then a _Shunshin_ took them both away.

* * *

The group of seven watched the smoking, smouldering ruins of what was once Orochimaru’s hideout, even the ground slowly coming to it’s seams, falling inwards.

“What the hell?“ Jūgo choked. “What did that?”

Naruto grinned flashing a peace sign. “Me and an Uzumaki Seal. Level Six, to be precise.”

The orange-haired shinobi quirked an eyebrow. “How many levels are there in seals, for you Uzumakis?“

“There are six, if I remember correctly.“ Karin said. “One for each of the ‘ranks‘, so to say. Level One- Academy student, Level Two- Genin, Level Three- Chūnin, Level Four- Jōnin, Level Five- ANBU and lastly, Level Six- Kage.”

“And _you_ did a Kage level seal.“ he said, pointing at him.

Naruto hummed. “Yes. May I add, that the levels mostly mean how much chakra the seal consumes, but it also reflects their difficulty.”

“ _What_ are you?“ Jugō asked.

Sasuke snorted amused. “A walking jaggernaut, who’s a creative prankster and uses said creativity in Fūinjutsu. Oh, might I add, that he has as much chakra as a Bijū, but is still somehow managing to learn Medical Ninjutsu.“

“As if you didn’t already have mid-ANBU level chakra reserves, Nī-sama.” the blonde countered with a scoff. Sasuke shrugged.

“Chakra-wise you take the trophy, Otōto. Now how about we go home? I want to see my brother.”

“I thought he was your brother? As odd as it is, cause you look nothing alike.“ Jugō said, his gaze flicking between the two of them.

“He is my brother.“ Sasuke said. “But I also have an Anija.” was all he said, before turning towards the general direction of Konoha.

As Naruto glanced at the three new shinobi, who were their companions, he just knew, that they were going to get an earful from Tsunade, for all the paperwork they were causing her. (Because bringing three random shinobi —especially ones, who’d been around Orochimaru— would mean extra paperwork for her.)

 _‘I just hope she doesn’t plan any sort of revenge on me and Sasuke, by... trying to turn our insides to pulp, or by breaking every single bone we have.‘_ thought the blonde, as he leapt from branch to branch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments. They are my life force.


	41. The Progenitors

Nara Shikamaru was one of the most inteligent — if not _the_ most inteligent— shinobi of his generation. Of course, the members of the Nara Clan were known for their inteligence as much, as they were known for their shadow techniques, so it was not a surprise. He may have been lazy, but he knew what he had to know and not even Iruka-sensei could do much about it. It was just... that the Academy had been boring for him and he wasn’t saying it to disrespect his sensei. It’s just, that he knew most of the things taught because he had read about them, or because his Clan members had shared their knowledge.

Life had become interesting, after he met one Uzumaki Naruto — or rather, _after_ Naruto and Sasuke had formed a bond in the Academy.

Naruto was the sort of strange person he had never met before. He was made of such contradictions, that Shikamaru was surprised one of the many kami hadn’t come down to grab the blone and drag him back to some sort of ‘pre-life‘, which the monks claimed existed for a soul, before they were born as people.

Naruto had been cheerful and energetic even in the Academy, but despite his sunny personality, very few people wanted to be friend with him. When Shikamaru had first approached the blonde and spent a few hours with him, he wondered why. Naruto was kind and polite and a pleasantly odd mix of calm and energetic. Positivity radiated from him in a way, that almost worked like a magnet. Shikamaru had also noticed, that Naruto was talented in a different way, than most people he’d met. Sometimes, he had problems with certain Academy materials... other times he would give perfect answers. (Only for the senseis to completely ignore the blonde.)

And the way he fought... it was nothing Shikamaru had ever seen. It was not a Clan style, which he had heard or read about. It seemed, that the blonde had come up with his own style, but it was way too well developed for that. It seemed as if the style had been created long before Naruto even attended the Academy, which was ridiculous, because Naruto didn’t even have parents to help him with basic things...

Shikamaru had also noticed the odd mix of longing, sadness and regret, whenever the blonde’s mistifying violet eyes landed on Uchiha Sasuke. As if he wanted to say something to the other, but didn’t know how (which was odd, because Naruto never seemed to be short for words). Slowly though, Sasuke had approached the whiskered boy too and they had spent a bit mre time together. Shikamaru watched, as the oddest sort of camardire formed between the two polar opposites. (Hell, Naruto had corrected a few of Sasuke’s flaws, during Taijutsu spars!)

And then... after the Massacre, things seemed to take a complete turnaround. Sasuke and Naruto had walked onto Academy grounds side by side, shoulders almost touching, after missing out for weeks. Shikamaru had noticed Sasuke’s eyes too — the black gaze hardened and there was a glint in it. A glint, that he would have called _knowledge_ , in other circumstances. He saw the raw pain in the Uchiha’s eyes, but he chalked it up to what had happened to his Clan.

Only to notice, that those sad, regretful looks to be thrown towards _Naruto_ , when the blonde wasn’t paying attention. And then, as years passed, he noticed. he noticed, that with each passing minute, the boys odd bond to grow stronger and stronger. He’d noticed, that when they thought no one heard, they called one another brother. In an odd way too — their speech patterns had changed from before and whenever he heard Naruto refer to Sasuke... he called the Uchiha ‘Nī-sama‘. Naruto had always been polite, but this seemed a bit _much_.

Sasuke had taken it as normal. One afternoon, when they wer walking home and Shikamaru was still waiting for his father, he’d noticed Sasuke _hug_ Naruto. The Uchiha treated Naruto as his younger brother — a brother younger then him by _years_ and not by a few months. They were competitive and protective of each other, as real brothers. He had never seen them apart, for more, than a few hours.

Speak about being joint at the hip.

And when they were sorted to Genin teams and the two had gone on without a third teammate, the mystery grew even more. All childishness had been shed from their personalities, replaced by focus and such composure, that his father compared the boys to the most dangerous of shogun across the Nations. There were a few times the Genin teams had met and those times Shikamaru could only admire the mystery they were turning into, day by day. Whenever they crossed paths, each time the strenght and the determination shrudding the boys seemed to grow stronger and stronger — Shikamaru wondered, when it might turn visible around them.

Not to mention, that their brotherly interactions turned even more blatant. They no longer hid, just how close they were. The mystery multiplied, when he had heard Naruto was a Senju by blood. Senju and Uchiha were always at each other’s troaths and from Sasuke’s personality, Shikamaru would have guessed, the Uchiha would change. He hadn’t — he treated Naruto like a brother anyway. In fact, he had caugth the two once, training, Naruto using his Mokuton and Sasuke _was prompting discussion,_ to help Naruto figure out the workings of his Kekkei Genkai. A new level of odd, even from the two.

And then the boys had cut trough the Chūnin Exams (and he’d even heard from his father, that they had _stalled Orochimaru of the Sannin!_ ) with the second shortest time. It was after that conversation, that Shiamaru realised, that there wasn’t a rift between the boys’ and the others, himself included, from the Academy, in terms of skill. It wasn’t a rift —it was a freaking canyon.

After he’d heard from Hinata, that the boys had helped abolish the _Caged Bird Seal_ of her Clan, Shikamaru couldn’t take it anymore.

“Tō-san.” he called, as he walked into the kitchen, to get himself something to drink. His father was reading a newspaper, but he looked up at the call.

“Hello, son. What is it?”

Shikamaru placed the juice on the counter and grabbed the glass. “Have you noticed how Naruto and Sasuke are like?”

His father hummed. “Their skills? Hard not to notice, son. The **_ANBU_** speak of the two on a regular basis — they say the boys are prodigies, that put the likes of Uchiha Itachi and Hatake Kakashi to shame.”

He sighed. “I didn’t just mean their _skills_.“ Shikamaru said, as he slid into a seat opposite from his father. “I meant them as a whole. As people. They... act like adults. Well, technically, as shinobi of the village, we are all adults, but...”

“You mean their mindset?” his father supplied.

Shikamaru nodded. “Yes. Sometimes... it’s hard to keep in mind they’re the same age, as me. Not to mention, that Naruto is a ball of sunshine one moment, the next his eyes look like the eyes of someone, who holds responsibility for... an entire Clan, if you understand what I mean.”

“I understand.“ his father said quietly. “I would say Minato was like that too... but no. Even when we were young, Minato was well-mannered, a prodigy and always had an easy smile. And Kushina had always been energetic, once she got over her insecurities. I can see those things in Naruto too, but he has a lot _more_ , than his parents. And Sasuke... he’s startlingly like Mikoto used to be, yet still glaringly different. And... I honestly thought he might grow arrogant, like Fugaku had been at times, but he’s not like that. In fact, he doesn’t seem to hold any glaringly negative traits of the Uchiha.”

Shikamaru nodded. “I noticed. They’re always calm and well-mannered, which is another mystery, since Naruto hadn’t even had a guardian for a long while, from what I understood from their consversations. Sasuke’s a bit detached, but he doesn’t push people away. He’s just not as good with people, as Naruto. I honestly don’t unerstand how are they doing it and it had been bugging me ever since the Academy. I tried watching and listening to them, but nothing — all I got, that they’re speaking twice as archaically as Sandaime-sama ever had. The more I try to figure them out, the more my head hurts.”

“Have you tried asking them?”

Shikamaru shook his head negatively. “No.”

His father arched an eyebrow. “Questions are keys to knowledge, Shikamaru. If you ask the righ ones, you gain knowledge and you may even save lives, as a shinobi.”

“Yes I know.“ he sighed. “But honestly... I have a problem withstanding their chakra presence and they aren’t even enemies. It’s just that... Sasuke _sets me on edge_. He always manages to do that, whenever I linger too long around them.”

“He doesn’t trust you?”

Shikamaru shook his head again. ”I don’t think that’s the problem. He trust me, as a fellow Konoha shinobi, but... It’s like they have things to hide and he’s wary I’m inteligent enough to figure out their secrets. So even if I would try having a conversation with Naruto... Sasuke takes my mind off of it. I don’t know if he does it purposefully or subconsciously, but it _works_.” he grunted in irritation, “Works a bit _too well_ , if you ask me.”

His father cuckled. “This sound a bit like some of the mind games a Yamanaka might play and the kami know the Uchiha have similar enough abilites, due to their Sharingan. They learn to use their abilites for interrogation and intimidation, like Yamanaka. Of course, those tricks can be countered.”

Shikamaru gave his father a deadpan look. “Maybe, but I certainly _don’t know_ how to counter them yet.”

A smile played in the corner of his father’s lips, as he slowly stood up. “Then come. I’ll demonstrate.”

* * *

As the doorbell rang, Itachi sighed — it was probably Shizune again with his medicine. It had ran out last night and Naruto had surely warned the hospital about it. Gods knew the two Senju and Shizune fussed around him enough. (And Sasuke was _encouraging_ them, which made it even _worse_.) Of course, he was, by now, almost completely healed so Tsunade had even allowed him to start training again. Which Sasuke had forbidden, saying he would not have him use chakra, until a complete recovery.

Itachi had twitched at that. If this is what Sasuke had felt like as a child, when Itachi had forbidden him something for his own good... well, damn him, but he was going to stop being a good brother, starting yesterday because it was goddamn annoying. (No. He can’t do that. He had promised his mother to always protect Sasuke, when his baby brother had been born and Itachi coudn’t just _stop_ being a good brother.)

He sighed again and opened the door... and blinked. And blinked again. Four unexpected guests stood in the door. The Hokage, Hyūga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku and if he guessed correctly, the Nara Heir, Shikamaru.

“Good day everyone. I suppose you all want to speak with Naruto and Sasuke, for various reasons, correct?“

“Hai.“ came the eerily synced answer. Itachi shivered a bit and then sighed, opening the door wider and stepped aside. “Come in, then.”

The four people walked in and Itachi closed the door. “Boys you have...!“ he called, only for two _Shunshin_ — one made of white fire the other made of water— to appear in front of him. (Seriously, were the boys getting lazy, using Shunshin _everywhere_? He didn’t want to know, what life would be like, when Naruto learned the _Hirashin_.)

“We sensed them, _Onī-san_...“ Naruto said with a pointed grin, “but thanks for the effort.”

Itachi rolled his eyes. Sometime after the revelation of their past lives, he’d gotten closer to the blonde too and as such, Naruto started calling him brother. Not that Itachi minded. It was really like he had two little brothers (who were sometimes way too wise and _he_ was the one, who felt like the baby, compared to them, but _shhh_ , the boys need not know _that_ ).

“Hokage-sama, Hyūga-dono, Nara-dono... Shikamaru.“ Sasuke greeted, his gaze sliding over each person. “Have a seat and then maybe we can discuss the reason for the unexpected visit.”

Sasuke gracefully glided towards the living room and Itachi sighed. He’ll get the drinks — this was most likely village business anyway, to which he wasn’t privy yet, due to probation. Altough it was coming to an end, but it was not yet over, so...

A few minutes later, the group were going over the usual, necessery formalities, sipping their drinks. Once that was done, Itachi turned to leave, only for Shikaku to call out. “Perhaps you could stay, Itachi-san? Considering you’ve been staying here for a while, you could help us out.”

Itachi blinked in shock, but when Tsunade and a bit more reluctantly Hiashi nodded as well, Itachi shrugged and settled on Sasuke’s other side.

“Okay...“ Naruto murmured, “Let’s go about it in order. Sensei? What brings you here?”

Tsunade’s eyes flashed with irritation. “You know Naruto, as admirable your approach to life is, you really should _stop_. You brought home three shinobi, who were under Orochimaru and that means a dozen wheelbarrows of paperwork for me and...”

“With due respect, sensei.“ Sasuke cut her off sharply, “Two of the three are literally our kin, so _no_. We’re not leaving people in need behind.”

* * *

Sasuke felt the sharp eyes. The moment he said, that two of the three people brought from Orochimaru were their kin... he doomed himself, he just knew it. He sighed, looking at his brother with a raised eyebrow.

He was sure Hiashi had noticed as well. And what other reason would the Nara have, to be here? They’d steered clear of Shikamaru for this very reason. He was too observant and inteligent. He would have noticed — aparently, he did notice. And his father knew it too, now.

“You have questions, don’t you?“ Naruto asked at last. His brother had never been the one to beat around the bush, especially not when the reason was so easy to see. All four people nodded. “Well, we have a very good idea about what... so we’ll explain. Just don’t freak out... much.”

The four people shared looks and Naruto offered his hand to his brother. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “I think, I _can_ handle a Tsukuyomi on my own, Otōto.”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “Yeah, with _only_ Itachi. Or maybe another one. Not four people... five actually, one of them a Sannina and two Clan Heads with high-Jōnin reserves. Plus an ex-ANBU Captain.” he said, gesturing at Itachi.

Sasuke sighed and took the offered hand. “Damn it all. I want my old skills back.“ he murmured, as Naruto opened the link between them, the dense chakra flowing into his system. His breath hitched at the sheer potency, but after a moment, he adjusted to it and looked at the others. “Link your hands. It’s easier that way.“ he said, grbbing Itachi with his free hand, while the other one, linked with Naruto’s hand, formed a Ram seal.

They all shared looks, but did as instructed and when Shikamaru grabbed Naruto’s hand, the cicrle was complete. Sasuke mixed his charka with Naruto’s and allowed it to ripple out, as his eyes morhphed into the Mangekyō. Tsunade’s eyes went wide at the pattern — no doubt, she knew about the higher level. **“Kongen: Tsukuyomi!”** (Origin: Moon Reader) he called and he felt bloody tears slip from his eyes at the strain. Hiashi gasped a bit, but Sasuke ignored it.

The next moment, they stood in his personal little world, this time apart. Itachi and the other four stood opposite from them, while him and Naruto stood side by side, as always. This time, the crescent moon above their head was more pink-silver and not the bloody red Itachi had seen the first time around, showing that he wasn’t using the technique, as a way of combat.

“Welcome to Tsukuyomi.“ Sasuke greeted calmly. “This is my personal little world, a link to our minds — mine and Naruto’s to be precise,— the ultimate Genjutsu of the Sharingan. The reason we’re here, is because it is easier to show things, rather then tell them.”

“This... how many people can you trap in something like this?“ Shikamaru asked curiously.

Sasuke shrugged. “Two other people, plus myself. Usually. However, Naruto’s chakra is denser, than mine, so since he had shared his chakra with me before I cast the technique, I was able to bring all of us. I could have, perhaps brought another person, but the more people, the more it strains my body.”

“Is that why your eyes bled, before the Genjutsu took effect?“Hiashi asked. “Due to the strain?”

Sasuke nodded. “Yes. Sadly, this strain also means, that frequent use of the Mangakyō comes at a cost, simply because the body, the eyes are not meant to channel such amount of power. However, that was something the Uchiha kept quiet, for a Dōjutsu-user without their eyes is nothing.”

“Do you mean to say it causes blindness?“ Shikamaru asked.

Sasuke hummed. “Yeah. Of course there are ways to counter said blindness... which reminds me, Otōto...”

Naruto hummed. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll do it. But I’ll need Oba-san’s help for that. It’s not that I’m worried about your state of health... but I know you would never let Itachi go blind. He’s bad off anyway, in terms of sight already.”

They were cut off, as someone cleared their troath. Sasuke looked at the others and noticed, that the Nara head was looking at their feet. “Boys... why does the water reflect different people where you stand, when we just see our own reflections?”

Sasuke looked down and a matching pair of Sharingan looked back at him, from a face he had almost forgotten. A face looked back at him from a time, which was legend to these people. It’s not that he missed that face... it was all the same. This life or that... but he did miss the hair. He missed his long hair. ‘ _Hm, I wonder if there are ways to speed up hair growth with chakra...‘_

“Why would you want to grow out your hair _with chakra_?“ Tsunade spoke and as Sasuke looked up, snapped from his musings, he saw the odd look on the woman’s face.

Sasuke shrugged. “When you’re used to having long hair all your life, it’s _odd_ not having the same long hair in the next life.”

All eyebrows went up in dubous manners and Sasuke sighed, sitting down. Naruto did the same.

“So.“ Naruto spoke after a moment. “There is this thing called reincarnation.... and the funny thing is, it happened to us. Me and Sasuke... we already lived a life long time ago. Usually, even if there are a few people, who live past lives, they never _remember_ , as it is against the balance of nature. We were not meant to remember either — but our reincarnation wasn’t a simple one. Reincarnation, in the basic sense is the rebirth of the soul in a different body. However, this time powerful chakras were attached to the souls, that transmigrated trough time. Said souls had been at war for a very, _very_ long time and I think this life was meant to be the end of it, but certain circumstances changed, which caused the reincarnating individuals to seek us out in our own minds. So... they became us and in return, we became them, if that makes sense. So, while physicially we are fourteen, our souls and minds are much, _much_ older.”

The others’ eyes went wide at that. “ _That’s_ why you never really acted like others our age.“ Shikamaru said.

Sasuke nodded. “Yes. We may have been children, but it’s hard to act like a child, when you remember being grown up and remember carrying the weight of the world or at least thinking you carried it...“ he trailed off, shaking his head. “You get the point.”

“And those reflections.“ the Hyūga head spoke, nodding at the water. “The water reflects how you looked in the past, does it not?”

Naruto hummed. “Yes, it does. It shows our physical appearance. And it shows it because we feel closer to those lives, than to this one. After all, Sasuke and Naruto just lived five or six years, in a way. We remembered around those ages and afterwards, the lives, the experiences... everything gets _mixed_ , if that makes sense.”

“That’s why you were so good at everything.“ Tsunade said at last, “Because you’ve already _learned_ them once.”

Sasuke shared an amused look with his brother and snorted. “We didn’t just learn those things, Shishou. We _created_ them.” he said softly, “Back in the past, when most of the people didn’t even know _what_ chakra was, we were the second generation on the Earth, to be born with chakra. The people of that time admired us and despite our young age, turned to us for guidence, for we knew the most of those teachings, aside from our own father.”

“We were the ones, whose differing wievs brought the bloody feud of Uchiha and Senju.“ Naruto murmured, “Our children and grandchildren took up those names, to distigunish themselves — Uchiha, Senju, Uzumaki.“ he glanced at him and Sasuke smiled a bit. “Indra nī-sama’s kin became the Uchiha.”

Sasuke looked back at the audience, his Sharingan landing on Tsunade. “And Asura’s descendants became the Senju and later, the Uzumaki. And as time went by, our names faded from the minds of men and even our father, whom they hailed a god in human form, fell to be naught, but a legend. People nowdays don’t even remember his name, only that he was — he is— the Rikudō Sennin.”

At those words, all those who sat across from them went rigid. “W-what?!“ Tsunade choked out, “D-did you just say _the Rikudō Sennin_ was your _father_?”

Naruto hummed nonchallantly. “Yes. Actually, he is _still_ our father, just as Namikaze Minato is my father and Uchiha Fugaku is Sasuke’s. It’s a bit complicated. We’re both people at once. Naruto and Asura.”

Sasuke shrugged. “And Sasuke and Indra.”

Tsunade groaned. “I need a saké.“ she muttered under her breath.

 **“What’s this noise here?“** Kurama’s voice rumbled from behind. **“I can’t sleep.”** Sasuke shifted to see his eldest brother approach and rolled his eyes. It was so typically Kurama thing to say...

Shikamaru made a startled noise and as Sasuke turned back, he saw all adults scrambling to their feet, eyes wide, taking their fighting stances, scrambling for weapons, only to realise they had none...

“I thought the Kyūbi was killed by the Yondaime?“ Shikamaru asked, a note of hysteria in his tone. Sasuke sighed softly, as Naruto shook his head.

“Bijū are sentinent forms of chakra, thus immortal. They cannot be killed, only discorporated. But that would have pissed him off more.“ he said, gesturing at Kurama. “So they are sealed, usually. Actually, it was Hashirama and his wife, who started that trend, so to say.”

 **“And what a _detestable_ trend it is.“** Kurama growled.

Sasuke gave him a pointed look. “You’re safe here, Nī-sama and that’s what matters.”

Naruto hummed, looking at Shikamaru. “The second after Mito oba-san, to hold the Fox was my mother. Sadly, female Jinchūriki’s seals — the term for people, who have a Bijū sealed in them,— weakens during birth. A masked Sharingan-user was aware of that fact and broke into the safe house, where Okā-san was being kept and wretched _him_...“ he made a gesture at Kurama,“from the seal, forcing Okā-san and Otō-san to fight him. Since Bijū cannot be killed and probably knowing the man, who did it will be back, Otō-san sealed him in me.” he sighed.

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

“That’s why people looked so badly at you all those years.“ Shikamaru concluded. “They feared the Fox and they thought you...”

“Yeah.” he sighed.

“Sarutobi-sensei placed a law to forbid people from speaking about Naruto’s status a few months after the attack, when a few had tried killing him in his crib.“ Tsunade said, glancing at Shikamaru. “It meant, that your parents could not tell you about why Naruto was different, however, it doesn’t mean they hadn’t warned their children away.”

“Oh.“ Shikamaru muttered. Then, he looked at his father. “You never told me to...”

Shikaku shook his head. “No. The Fox and Naruto are different. They just share the same body. Its’s the way with scrolls and kunai. A kunai will not become a scroll only because you seal it into one. Besides, I trust Minato —there was no better Fūinjutsu master, than him. Rivalled by Kushina, but they both had a hand in the sealing. Why should I doubt the work of two Seal Masters? One of them an Uzumaki on top of it.”

Shikamaru looked at Sasuke. “Form what you said... you became friends with Naruto before you remembered your past life.”

Sasuke shrugged. “Itachi messed up Tsukuyomi, which caused me to remember. And yes, I was friends with him, simply because. Itachi and mother told me to be friends with him and my father was... well he never cared for me too much. So, we became sort of friends, yes. I figured out what he was after I remembered, simply because it was odd, to feel two of my siblings’ chakra signarutes from one person.”

“Sib-sibling?“ Hiashi asked glancing cautiously at Kurama.

Sasuke hummed. “Of course. The Bijū were created by Otō-sama before we were born. We were raised side by side, as siblings. And no, they are not as maiicious and destructive as people today make them out to be. They just want peace, like we all do.”

“Then what happened...?“ Shikaku asked, glancing at Kurama.

Kurama huffed. **“I was napping in the forest, when Madara turned up with blazing Sharingan. It didn’t help, that his chakra felt so close to Indra’s. My last memories of Indra weren’t exactly fond ones. The next thing I know, that I’m behind bars and Mito stands in front of me, telling me she will drag me with her to death, if must. Apparently, Madara had enough power to control me and Hashirama restained me. Then I get stuck with Kushina, who’s just a notch better, than Mito’s cold indifference, really. Then I remember Minato _bouncing about the room, like a kid_ , that he’s going to be a father and Kushina going to labour hours later. I addmit, I had tried breaking the seal meanwhile, but Minato certainly knew how to hold it. Then the masked bastard with a Sharingan appeared. He bound Kushina and extracted me. The next thing I remember —again — is the pain, as the Shinigami split me in half. Then, I remembered trying to bisect Naruto, but Kushina and Mianto were faster and goddamn stubborn. Then, I’m stuck behind bars again, half as powerful as I used to be.”**

There was another silence. “So you say it was the work of a Sharingan-user?“ Hiashi asked.

Kurama huffed. **“Yes. Not as powerful, as Madara and certainly can’t hold a candle to Indra in his prime...”**

Sasuke smirked at that. “Why thank you, Nī-sama.”

Kurama rolled his eyes again and tried flipping him off balance, but it failed, when the water shot p to wrap around his claw. His brother huffed again and settled. **“The point is, that the fucker isn’t like those two. But powerful —and fast, because I remember, vaguely, that he gave a run to Minato.”**

Tsunade groaned. “Alright, alright. I need a break. _Now_. We can discuss stupid, Bijū-controlling Uchihas afterwards.”

“I agree.“ Hiashi murmured.

“Sounds reasonable.“ Shikaku added.

Shikamaru just sighed, as he looked at them. “Why are you two so.... so.... _mendokuse_?“

Sasuke snorted. “I would say it’s just Otōto... but it’s not and... it’s just how we are, Nara. Better get used to it, cause we’re not going to change. We hadn’t changed over a millenia, so we’re not going to start fundamentally changing tomorrow, either.”

Shikamaru sighed again. “ _Mendokuse_.”

Sasuke laughed, as his Sharingan spun again, dispelling the illusion.

* * *

Everyone blinked, to adjust to the new surroundings and Naruto just wanted to spawl on the ground and drool — having so many people in his mind, sort of his mind, was bad. _Tiresome_. But he was an Ōtsutsuki and he was going to keep up appearances, because their behaviour reflected on a lot of things now and that was important.

“Any questions?“ Naruto asked, looking at the people in the room.

Hiashi nodded. “I have one. It’s obvious that... it’s because of your situation, that you care so much for a lot of things, but how does that involve my Clan?”

Naruto smiled. “That’s because of our uncle. Otō-sama and Oji-sama were twins and they remained close for all their life. Oji-sama’s daughters became the progenitors of the Hyūga and the Kaguya. To be precise, his older daughter, Sarvastra was the one, who inherited his structure and thus, what is today known, as the Shinkotsumiyaku. His younger, Mitra inherited his Byakugan. That’s why, Hiashi-dono.”

“Once, long ago,“ Sasuke said, “the Five Great Clans all carried the Ōtsutsuki name — or said Clans’ ancestors, that is. It makes us family, no matter how distant and Ōtsutsuki _never_ leave their kin behind. Even if we want to claw each others’ eyes out sometimes...“ he glanced at Naruto, “we eventually find our way back. And there is no mistake, that cannot be rectified with a bit of talking, diplomacy and a healthy dose of forgiveness.”

“That’s why you brought Karin and Kimimaro.“ Tsunade said, her eyes glinting with understanding.

Naruto smiled softly. “Yes, Oba-san. That’s why. They are family too and there is nothing more important, than family. If families fight between themselves, then the world is truly heading to a dark age. True, Nī-sama and I... we did that once, but not again. We set the world on a darker path, because _we,_ the Sennin’s sons, set a not so nice example...“he huffed, “time to set things right. That’s why we helped the Hyūga too.”

Sasuke glanced at Hiashi. “Mitra would have hated seeing her own blood divided by a seal like that. So, my apologies, if we seemed forceful in the beggining, but it was...”

“It was the right thing to do.“ Hiashi finished. “And these weeks have truly changed life within the Clan — changed it for the better and I’m grateful for that.”

Naruto beamed. “That’s wonderful thing to hear. Which reminds me, why have you visited, Hiashi-dono?”

“I just wished to make sure you recovered properly. Several people asked about your well-being, since then.”

Naruto smiled. “Ah, I’m hale and healthy, as you can see.”

“Also... I would like to ask a favour. It’s probably a small thing, compared to the _grand_ scheme of things...“ he made a gesture, “considering your identities...“

Naruto waved him off. “ _Nonsense_. We’ll always find time for family. So, what is it you wanted to ask?”

“There’s a youngling in the Clan, who shows great promise as a Sensor. However, it’s a rare ablity within the Clan and I’m unsure how well we could train him. You on the other hand, are a known Sensor, the best in the village in generations...”

Naruto grinned. “Are you speaking of Hikaru-kun?”

The Hyūga Head blinked at him in surprise. “Yes.”

“I’ve met him, while we were dealing with your seals. And my answer is yes. I’ll be sure to queeze a bit of time for him, between training and missions. And I’ll write a scroll with exercises meant for Sensory training. We told Neji about the reincarnation as well. I will give the scroll to him and Neji can overlook Hikaru’s training, if I’m busy.”

“That’s good. Thank you... wait, why does my nephew know your... identities?“

“Frankly?“ Sasuke asked, “Neji was twice as arrogant as I used to be and I was called a prodigy by Ōtsutsuki standards and the way he badmouthed his own family reminded me of how I treated mine own, after Asura was named the Heir of Ninshū. I could not bare to watch one of Mitra’s blood making the mistakes I had, once. So when Kakashi took us to spar with Gai’s team, I used Tsukuyomi to reveal this to him. It wasn’t exactly planned... but it’s nice to see I managed to beat some sense into him.”

Hiashi winced a bit at those words, but he also sighed. “I see. Well, thank you. It’s a relief to see him as himself again.”

“Think nothing of it.”

Naruto smiled patting his brother on the shoulder. “See? Told you you can deal with Neji.”

Sasuke hummed. “Yes, but you could have dealt with him _without_ revealing our past, Otōto.”

Naruto waved him off. “We benefitted from his knowledge, no? Hinata’s growing to be a kunoich even Mitra would be proud of...“ he grinned, “and I can just imagine Oji-sama patting her on the head for being the way she is. And she’d just smile and thank him and look cute and that would just make him love her more.”

Sasuke snickered, as the mental image of their uncle patting Hinata on the head appeared. “Yeah. Certainly true. And he’d manage to spoil Neji for his mastery over Jūken, while somehow still making it look _fair_ and that _no_ , he’s totally not spoiling one of his favourite descendants.”

Naruto laughed loudly at that, as the mental image appeared for him too. Inside the seal, Kurama was rolling on the floor. “Tr-so true, Nī-sama. So true! And then imagine Otō-sama scowling at him for spoiling someone and then they’d end up arguing about what is spoiling and what is not and how that does or does not fit with Ninshū...”

“They never _argued_ , Otōto, it’d just be a completely civilised _debate of grown-ups_.” he added, laughing.

Naruto laughed even louder, cluthing his sides and soon, somehow everyone present ended up laughing with them.

Naruto didn’t mind it at all — they were family, after all. As his great-granduncle had said, the entire village was one big _family_...

* * *

Itachi sat outside, in the backyard of the Namikaze Compund with Sasuke right there. Naruto had gone off to the Hyūga compound to help Neji and Hikaru and he stayed home with Itachi. Due to the treatment Naruto and Tsunade were giving him, Itachi’s health was improving by leaps and bounds and that eased Sasuke’s worries greatly. However, Naruto’s earlier warning about Itachi’s use of Katon still rang in both of their ears.

“So, as it was said, you can’t use Katon as often, as you’d like.”

Itachi sighed a bit. “I heard that. Well, that leaves Fūton and Suiton then.”

Sasuke blinked, a bit surprised. “Those are the two elements you can handle besides fire?”

Itachi nodded. “Yes, those come easy, in a way. Raiton and Doton take too much chakra and concentration.”

“Well, you’ll train wih Otōto then. Those are his elements. I’m sure if you ask him nicely, he’ll even teach you a few modified versions of his own inventions. But... today I want to show you a few Genjutsu. They require an active Mangakyō, altough you only use the standard Sharingan for them.”

Itachi quirked an eyebrow. “Then why do I need the Mangekyō?”

“A standard Sharingan, that has the second level is stronger, than a standard one without it.“ he said.

“Ah, I see. So it’s the power, that comes from the upgrade, is what is used and not the upgraded version itself.” he said.

Sasuke’s lips twitched upwards. “Indded. You’re quick to catch up. So, first and foremost, you’ll have to understand your own limitations. You’ll have to see how much chaka you need to activate Mangekyō and when you have the exact amount, use about five percent less. That gives a boost to your Sharingan, without activating the second level.”

Hm, Itachi smiled. A simple enough concept, rooted in chakra theory itself. And it was just the question of chakra control, really, once one caught the amount of chakra needed. So Itachi took a deep breath and moulded his charka...

The warm energy sped trough his body... and he felt the shift... “Too much.” Sasuke murmured. Itachi sighed —he’d felt it too. He let his eyes revert to their first stage, before trying again, this time with a bit less chakra.

“Mangekyō again.” Sasuke said.

Itachi almost pouted. _‘I might just have to ask Naruto-kun for some of his chakra control exercises, if I want to pull this off. Damn it, Sasuke made the theory sound so easy...‘_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And done! Phew, this was harder, than I thought it would be.  
> Please leave comments and tell me what you think. Comments are the caffeine of my soul! :)


	42. Chōmei and Fū

“You have a mission, Team Thirteen. This time it’s a diplomatic one.“ Tsunade explained, “You’ll have to escort Shibuki back to his village.”

“Uh, how does that count as a diploatic, mission Oba-san?“ Naruto asked, a bit confused.

“Shibuki is the head of his village and we also need a treaty signed with them, so that’s how. And you’re his escorts. We signed a few official papers and he asked for an escort back home.” she explained patiently. Then, she lowered her voice, “Also, Taki is the only small village, that has a Bijū. Find their Jinchūriki and speak with them, if you think it might help your cause.“

Naruto grinned widely. “Wonderful. Consider it done, Oba-san.”

Tsunade nodded and signalled to her secretary. A few minutes later a young man walked in, dressed rather casually. He had round face black eyes and long, dark brown hair. “Shibuki-san, Team Thirteen will be your escorts to Taki.”

Shibuki looked at them in surprise. “Them? They’re no older, than our most recet Chūnin.”

“They are young yes,“ the Hokage said, “but as Tokubetsu Jōnin, they’re among the best of the village. And the escort squad is made of fourt people, as you are aware.“ she said, gesturing at Yamato and Kakashi.

Shibuki’s eyes landed on Kakashi and surprise flickered trough his features, before he nodded to the Hokage. “I see. Forgive my wording, Hokage-sama. I was merely surprised.”

* * *

The journey to Taki was spent mostly in silence, altough they kept up friendly chatter long enough to ease the tension — during said chat, they found out, that Shibuki had inherited his position as village leader from his father, who had died not long before. They also knew that Shibuki was a Chūnin, who preferred using Suiton and Kenjutsu, if it came to fighting.

Getting into the village was tricky, as the leader didn’t want the way to be known, their eyes had been bound. On instinct, Naruto’s senses immediately sharpened, his Sensory stretching to its fullest. With all his skills combined, it was like he could see clearly, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. Shibuki would not need to know, that Naruto could find his way back here anytime he wanted, needing only a little effort. However, the others weren’t so comfortable with the loss of their sight, so Sasuke stuck to his side even more, than usual. Not that Naruto said anything. They could communicate without words, so he could giude his brother without any problems. Which, Naruto decided, was a good thing, as Sasuke wasn’t keen on trusting the Taki shinobi, who came from the village on Shibuki’s request, to be their escorts.

When they arrived, the people greeted Shibuki with high spirits, which eased the team’s mind. When they reached the man’s residence, he bid them to rest and enjoy Taki’s scenery and told them that the official business will be done tomorrow. Sensing an opportunity to look for Chōmei, the boys quickly excused themselves.

As they wandered the village, the people greeted them with cautious smiles. “Can you look for Nē-sama?“ Sasuke whispered, as his eyes landed on a stand, that sold fruits and vegetables.

Naruto chuckled. “Sure, in the meanwhile, buy something, hm?“

Sasuke nodded. “What’s it you’d like?“

Naruto stole a glance at the stall, toughtful for a moment. “Kinkan.”

Sasuke hummed and headed towards the stall. Naruto turned away and closed his eyes for a second, stretching his senses wide. Taki was somewhat smaller, so it had less people, but it was also, in a way, closer to nature, which made Naruto’s chakra sing with delight. It calmed him and he drew in a bit more of the Nature Chakra, than normal...

 **“Careful, Asura. Your body hadn’t learned to handle it in this time.“** Kurama chided softly. Naruto huffed and released the energies. A moment later, he stretched his senses again, looking for Chōmei. It didn’t take long to find her, as her and her Jinchūriki’s combined signature were, by far the largest in the village. It was like a bonefire in the night.

“Here’s your food, Asura.“ Sasuke murmured, slipping a bit. He took the fruits.

Naruto just rolled his eyes at the little slip up from his brother, knowing that memories were always strongest, when he let his chakra free like that. Their memories were now part of their daily life, but certain things reared their head particularly strongly in certain situatons and more often than not, those happened, when he flared his chakra. Indra’s memories were heavily tied to his healing and Mokuton.

“Found her. Let’s go.” he said, as he sallowed his bite.

Sasuke smiled. “Wonderful.”

They sped trough the lively village — perhaps they were getting ready for some festival? And by the time they reached the tree, where their target was perched at, their treats were gone. They approached slowly, but taking care to cause some noise to alert the kunoichi of their approach. Her gaze snapped to them fast and she took a fighting stance.

“Who are you and what are you doing in our village?” she demanded, tone wary.

“Calm your Jinchūriki, Chōmei.“ Sasuke spoke. “We are not here to cause you harm. I don’t feel like fighting one of my own.”

* * *

Fū froze in shock, when the foreigner spoke her Bijū’s name — she thought people didn’t know the Bijūs names anymore. And here were these Konoha shinobi — Uchiha Sasuke and Senju Naruto, if her memory served her right,— and they spoke Chōmei’s name, as if it was the most normal occurance on the planet.

Besides... why would the Uchiha call her one of his kin? Was he a Jinchūriki, like her? **“No, little one.“** Chōmei said softly. **“He is not, but the blonde _is_. The blonde holds my oldest brother. Altough I do wonder, how they know my name. Their chakra feels familiar, but...”**

Those words froze the blood in her veins. The blonde had the Kyūbi? How... how had she not noticed, when she’d been in Konoha? She’d seen them in the fights and had even met the blonde once in passing. She took a step back. She was confident in her abilities, but if the blonde knew how to handle his Bijū’s power, she was done for.

 **“Unlikely. My brother hates humans. He’ll never work with his host willingly.”** Chōmei added, as she sensed her thoughts. Those words didn’t offer any reassurance. She took a step back.

“We’re not here to harm you, Fū-san.“ Naruto said softly. “I was just surprised to sense you so far from the festival preparations. I was worried you might be harmed.”

Those words were a surprise. No one had cared for her — people feared and hated her. The only one, who cared, was Shibuki. “I’m fine.“ she answered, tone wary and clipped. She’d heard they were Jōnin. Had they been undercover Jōnin as well, during the Exams, like her own teammates? If so, not even her skills could save her and Chōmei was outclassed by the Fox.

The blonde’s violet eyes searched her own orange gaze. “We’re not here to harm you. What can I do to make you believe we hold no ill-intention?”

“You could tell me how you found me and what do you want.“she said, tone braver and sharper, than she felt.

“I’m a Sensor,“ the blonde supplied with a chuckle, “and Chōmei’s chakra makes you stand out like a sore thumb, Fū-san. It didn’t take much effort to track you.”

“And I already told you.“ the Uchiha suplied calmly, his eyes morphing into the Sharingan, which set her even more on edge. “We’re not here to fight our own kin. Or have you already forgotten us, Chōmei nē-sama?”

Fū drew up short at those words. _‘What...what is he talking about Chōmei? Why did he...?‘_

 **“Those eyes... that chakra...“** Chōmei whispered in shock, which just served to confuse her more. Something was going on here, but she didn’t know what. She could flee, but she wouldn’t get anywhere with it — the blonde would just find her again.

Suddenly, Chōmei’s chakra turned agitated and it made her uncomfortable. But it was obvious, that the presence of these two unsettled her Bijū — and anyone who unsettled _a Bijū_ , was extremely dangerous.

 **“Indra.... Asura.“** Chōmei whispered at last, almost disbelievingly.

Fū wrinkled her nose in confusion. _‘Who?‘_

 **“My brothers.“** Chōmei said, **“Brothers I thought I will never see again.”**

 _‘But... but they are human!‘_ she said in confusion, _‘How can they be your brothers then?‘_

**“It is a long story, butterfly. Let them in here for a bit. I want to speak with Asura-kun.”**

She blinked in shock and then looked at the two. “I... I don’t know who you are... but she seems to know you. She wants to speak with the one she called Asura.”

The blonde —Naruto, she guessed— smiled. “That would be me. We will all be going inside your seal, if you don’t mind and then, we can have a proper conversation, without others overhearing us. Is that acceptabe, Fū-san?”

She gave a small, unsure nod, as the blonde gently grabbed her hand. The boys joined their hands to form a Ram seal and then the Uchiha’s Sharingan spun.

* * *

When Fū opened her eyes again, she was in her mind — specifically inside Chōmei’s seal. The two foreigners stood on her right and only now did she notice the insane amount of power they exuded. And not just the blonde —no, the Uchiha too. In fact, she could barely feel Bijū chakra from the violet-eyed boy.

Once she gathered her thoughts, the two turned to her and smiled. “A pleasure to meet you, Shichi. I’m Senju-Uzumaki Naruto, Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi. And I’m the one your partner calls Asura.” the blonde said.

“My name is Fū.“ she said, offering her hand to be shaken. To her utter shock, the blonde took her hand and kissed it, just a brief ghost of his lips over her skin, before he stood upright again. Her eyes went wide and she blushed. _Eep!_ Who kissed women’s hands these days? Where were they at a Daimyo’s Court or perhaps in the Warring States Era?

She looked at the black-haired boy, quirking an eyebrow at the sight of the paint under his eyes. Why would somone do that. “Nice to meet you, I’m Fū.“

“A pleasure. I’m Uchiha Sasuke, altough Chōmei called me Indra, I would think.“ he said, and he too, just like the blonde kissed her hand, as she offered it to be shaken. Her face heated up again. Eheheh, two _handsome_ boys and both of them with such good manners... (Not to mention good Clans. Senju and Uchiha, founders of Konoha.)

They walked deeper into her seal, until they were met with the chained up form of Chōmei. She stopped a good seven to eight feet away from her partner, but to her surprise, the boys continoued on, unbothered by the great beetle’s presence. And, to her further shock, they _bowed_ to her.

“Nē-sama.” they greeted, tones equally measured. Her eyes went wide. Why... _why_ would humans, people call a _Bijū_ their sister? And in such a reverent, archaic manner?

 **“Indra. Asura.“** Chōmei returned and Fū wondered if there was perhaps some meaning behind those names her partner called these boys by? **“What brings you here? I thought, I will never see you again.“**

“And we designed things otherwise, Nē-sama.“ Sasuke —Indra?— answered.

Chōmei’s gaze seemed searing in a way Fū had never felt it before, as they landed on the Uchiha. **“Interesting to see you here, Indra. More than ten minutes have passed and you haven’t tried beheading Asura-kun, nor did I get a degrading comment, that I’m where I should be— in chains.”**

Fū flinched a bit. Chōmei was usually kind, yet now her tone was strangely cutting. Sasuke bowed again, this time deeper. “Gomen nasai, Nē-sama. I am aware, that my words had destroyed as much, as my actions. I cannot take those back, only hope you find it in yourself to forgive me sometime. But I’ve changed — this time I wish to stand side by side with Asura. We’re together in this mess, this time. It’s time for us to join forces and guide humanity towards a peaceful future, as Otō-sama would have wanted.”

Chōmei was silent for a long moment, almost as if she was judging, if the Uchiha spoke true or not. Then, after what seemed to be eternity, she shifted in her chains, to land on the water of the mindscape. **“I believe you, Indra.“** she said after a long pause. **“It’s reasuring to have you back. And it’s nice to see Asura-kun as well.”**

“Iam glad to be back.” the Uchiha said, his tone softer, for a moment.

And then, both boys stepped closer and _hugged_ Chōmei. She rubbed her eyes, just to be sure. Since when did people go about _hugging_ _Bijū_?

After a moment, they broke away and Fū was brought back from her wandering mind by Chōmei. **“How about you two tell poor Fū-chan what’s going on here? Poor butterfly is confused.”** her partner prompted.

Both boys smirked and sat down, motioning for her to walk closer and sit with them. Curiously, she skipped over and sat down. “So... what’s going on here?“

Naruto quirked an eyebrow at her. “Tell me, Fū, what you’ve heard of the Rikudō Sennin?”

* * *

Naruto sighed. After they finished telling their story —which, undertstandably caused her to freak out a bit,— they asked her to tell hers. So she told them how she became a Jinchūriki, as a baby and how the village feared and hated for it. How she’d met Shibuki and how he had become the only precious person in her life. She told them how she hated her village, while still loving it — an odd feeling she couldn’t untangle.

“Even with Shibuki and Chōmei, I’m alone.“ she whispered looking down at the three branch. “I just wanted friends, a family — as an orphan, really, the only thing... but they fear and hate me and I’m alone...”

“You’re _not_ alone.” Naruto said firmly, reaching out to grasp her hand. “We’re here now. The Bijū are our siblings. We don’t hate or fear them. They’re our family and that makes _you_ our family, if you want to be.”

Fū looked up at them in shock, a few tears escaping her vivid orange eyes — the warm colour reminded Naruto of Sasuke’s flames and the safety and warmess they provided. Fū had a similar bouncy, warm personality. How couldn’t people see that?

“What?“ she whispered.

Sasuke chuckled. “You heard Otōto. The Nine are our siblings. And that makes you our _Imōto_ , you know.”

Her breath hitched. “Y-you’re serious?“

Sasuke hummed, as he reached out to her. Naruto could see he was a bit awkward, but he gave his brother bonus points for _trying_ in a way he hadn’t bothered to try in their past life. “Hai. We’re one big family, who sometimes get messy, when we don’t agree on something. But we’re family anyway and Ōtsutsuki never leave one of their own behind, no matter what.”

That caused Fū to laugh and Naruto flashed his brother a proud grin, but before he could do anything more, Fū tackled them in a hug, laughing and crying at the same time. Sadly as she did so, they lost their balance and went falling from the tree, which caused Fū to scream...

Naruto grabbed them both, as fast as he could and chakra chains shot from his back, attaching to the tree’s branches, halting their deathly fall. Slowly, the chains lowered them to the ground and then Naruto retracked them into his back with a sigh. (Whichever Uzumaki had come up with this jutsu, he would be sure to find them in the afterlife sometime and thank them for being a genius on par with Indra.)

Fū laughed again and the amount of happiness and relief radiating from her could have lit up the entirety of Konoha, Naruto decided. They laughed with her, the good mood contagious —besides, yet _another_ of their sibligns was on board. They were getting to be a family again, plus also getting _new_ siblings. That was an ocassion to celebrate, he supposed. Around them, the people stopped, staring in shock, but Naruto was way to used to stares and whispers to care.

“So, mind showing us some local speciality, food-wise, Imōto?“ he asked her, violet eyes still glinting. “I could eat an entire ox.”

She snorted and stood up, offering her hands to help them up. They both took it and stood carefully. “Sure, _Onī-san_.” she grinned.

At the word, Naruto couldn’t help, but share a happy, triumphant look with Sasuke. Another official member to their already growing family.

* * *

Shibuki couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. He had yet to see Fū today and the celebrations were nearing. Fū hated the celebrations, because it made her feel even more secluded, more an outcast in the village and Shibuki could do _nothing_. He tried making his little cousin feel loved and safe, but he could only do so much — Fū would need friends, but no one in Taki was willing to be her friend. they feared and hated the Shichibi too much for that.

The Konoha nin noticed his disterss and offered to help locate his wayward cousin. He was too worried for Fū, to worry about the two Jōnin perhaps figuring out, that his energetic cousin was a Jinchūriki. He’ll worry about that, when Fū was found. So, he described the girl to the two men and they went out into the village, looking for her. Kakakshi had tried asking one of the villagers, but the woman had rudely dismissed him, which caused Shibuki to flinch.

“Fū is not exactly well-liked in the village, Kakashi-san.“ he said carefully. “The best is if you don’t even speak her name.”

The Copy-nin’s visible eyes turned thoughtful for a moment, but he didn’t say anything. The lively crowd parted for them as they passed and Shibuki’s worry grew even more. And then he heard a cry and looked upwards, to see Fū falling from the tall tree ahead of them, along with the two Konoha-nin, who made up the other half of his escort. Before he could freak out, that his cousin would get hurt or that she’ll show off her wings, thick golden chains materialised from the blonde’s back, shooting upwards to wrap around the tree’s branches, halting their fall. Then, the blonde slowly loweed Fū and his teammate to the ground, so that he was below both of them. As they landed, Shibuki released the breath he’d been holding.

And then, to his shock, Fū started laughing — a free, joyful sound, the kind he heard so rarely from her. She had an upbeat, curious personality, but he heard her laughing like this so rarely... and then the boys joined in with her, obviously sharing her good mood and Shibuki’s first thought was, that Fū had finally found friends. The crowd froze, staring at his sweet cousin with wide eyes and Shibuki almost snapped at them, that Fū was like any other person, but the unexpected voice of the blonde stopped him.

“So, mind showing us some local speciality, food-wise, Imōto? I could eat an entire ox.”

Shibuki blinked in shock. Did... did a _foreigner_ just call his cousin their _little sister_?

Fū snorted and offered her hands, to help up both boys. “Sure, Onī-san.”

Shibuki’s jaw dropped. And Fū was returning the favour, in calling the boys her brothers. What was going on here?

“Boys?“ Kakashi-san spoke, and even Shibuki could hear the rest of his unasked question. The Uchiha _grinned_ —that lot were known not only for their fire jutsu, but for their stoicism too, so seeing the kid grin was a shock— or was it a smirk? He couldn’t decide, but his face was one of satisfaction for sure.

“She’s...“ Sauske made a gesture, “You know. She’s _Seven_.” he said, as if it explained everything. The words froze the blood in Shibuki’s veins. How had they...?

The Copy-nin hummed, remaining calm. “ _Ah_ , I see. Family time, I guess?“

Shibuki blinked at the silver-haired man. _What_ time? He looked back at Fū. He saw some tear tracks on her face, but she was _radiating happiness_...

“You bet.“ the blonde — a Senju, if he remembered correctly,— said. “Got some catching up to do, so we’ll be with Imōto. Flare your chakra in the usual pattern, if we’re leaving.“ he said. “C’mon, I’m dying of hunger here.” he said, walking away.

Fū chuckled at the boys. “Uh, boys, this way please. I think you’d enjoy the stand I want to show you, if you want to taste some Taki specialities.” she grinned brightly, tugging at the Uchiha’s arm carefully, almost afraid he might snap.

The black-haired boy hummed and grabbed the blonde by the collar. “Lead the way then, Imōto.”

As Fū left with the two foreigners, Shibuki could do nothing, but stare. Once they were gone, sallowed by the crowd, Shibuki looked at the two Jōnin next to him.

Yamato shrugged. “It’s how they are — they just manage to make a _family_ member out of any Jinchūriki they come across.”

 _They knew what Fū was._ Shibuki almost fainted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the anime, it was not stated, what sort of relationship is between Shibuki and Fu, but since Jinchuriki are almost always related to their village leader in a way... I made Shibuki and Fu cousins.
> 
> Please leave comments and share your opinion. Thank you! :3


	43. Bonds and Lessons

Sasuke wandered into Hatake grounds with two scrolls in hand. Since him and Naruto were technically ‘responsible‘ for Itachi, Tsunade hadn’t allowed them to _invite_ Karin and Kimimaro to stay at the Namikaze residence. Before Naruto could complain, that the two were _family_ Kakashi had stepped in and offered to keep an eye on the two, while they were under probation. That placated his fiery brother and so, the two newest members of their rapidly growing family were now staying with Kakashi.

Which brought him to the Hatake residece — Naruto was busy in the hospital, but Sasuke had time. He supposed it would help Karin, Jūgo and Kimimaro adjust if they saw a familiar face. He was certainly one of said familiar faces, consiering it had taken a few days to get back to Konoha and they had used the time to try bonding with the three.

Said bonding time had also allowed them some insight into their new family members’ abilities, which was a good thing. There was a war creeping up on them and now that there were other family members here... Sasuke _refused_ to let go of them. Life had taken much from him — an entire Clan. Despite said Clan’s numerous faults, they were his family and family came before everything else. Now, now he was finding more family and he would be _damned_ before he let his family get dragged into a war, completely clueless of their full potential.

Asura was the one who’d refined Fūinjutsu and both of them had dealt with Sarvastra for years, before _that_ day. They could help Karin and Kimimaro. (With how much had been lost, he was sure, that he could even tell certain moves to Kimimaro, which Sarvastra had been fond of — most of the base knowledge had been lost anyway and with how much the Kaguya Clan had degraded, he was sure the amount of lost knowledge equalled that of the Uzumakis, considering, that the only alive, _trained_ Uzumaki was Naruto.)

And he was sure, that eventually, they’ll find a way to help Jūgo as well — he knew the basics about Nature Energy, altough he needed a medium to gather and store the energy. He just could never manage that one... his brother on the other hand, had become a fully trained Sage. Not in this life, but before. Regardless, they had the knowledge and experience. So, even if in small steps, they _could_ help the three.

And that was what had brought him here today.

“Sasuke.“ came a surprised greeting, “Unexpected visit. Kakashi-san didn’t mention you’ll be coming over.”

Sasuke hummed, his lips curling upwards just a bit at the sight of his distant cousin. Kimimaro’s calm composure reminded him of his uncle Hamura. Fond, fond childhood memories...

“Good day, Kimimaro. He didn’t say, because I didn’t tell him. I came to visit you three. Just dropping in to see how you three are fairing.“ he said, as they slowly walked to the backyard. He supposed that’s where they were.

Kimimaro smiled. “It’s fine, actually. We’re starting to get used to being away from there and... being around each other, for real. Without unnerving, demanding eyes following every twitch. It’s less stressful, so...”

“That’s good to hear.” he said. And indeed it was. He wished the snake was dead, but Jiraiya had said, that his traitorous teammate had slipped away at the last moment, before the exploding seals had gone off...

As they reached the backyard, he found Jūgo sitting in the shade of the tree, meditating, while there were positively _delicious_ smells wafting from the kitchen. Kakashi was just a notch better at cooking, than himself, so he guessed it was probably Karin’s doing, as he couldn’t spy the vibrant Uzumaki-red hair anywhere.

“Karin! Kakashi-san! We have a visitor!” Kimimaro called towards the house.

A few minutes later both of them poked their heads out and Karin waved at him shyly. “Hello, Sasuke-kun.”

He nodded to her in greeting. “What brings you here, Sasuke?“ Kakashi asked.

Sasuke chose to ignore the flour on his arpon and in his hair — so whatever Karin had been doing in the kitchen, she’d managed to drag the dog-summoner into it as well. “I just wanted to see how our new family members were doing. And...“ he showed the two scrolls to Karin, “Naruto sends these.”

Karin blinked at him with wide, red eyes and darted closer. “What are these?”

“History of the Uzumaki Clan and a general overwiev of their expertise. Basics of Ken- and Fūinjutsu, but there are things about medicine as well. He thought you might be interested, as you had mentioned, that you never knew much about the Clan, as it had been painful for your mother to speak of them.”

Her eyes shone and as he offered the scrolls, she snatched them away.

“He also said, that if there’s anything of interest to you, he’ll gladly help. Now, Kenjutsu is not something he uses too often, but if you ever feel like picking up a blade, instead of using Taijutsu, Kakashi and I can help.“ he said, gesturing at the silver-haired Jōnin.

Karin grinned widely, bouncing in her spot, as Kakashi gave him a look. _How did I get dragged into Uzumaki affairs?_ his eye seemed to ask. Sasuke just shrugged.

“He’ll realy let me have a look at these?“ she asked, nodding to the scrolls.

Sasuke hummed. “You’re not an Uzumaki, if you can’t handle at least two of those aspects at least on Chūnin level. Your heritage is something to be proud of — Uzumaki after all, were one of the Five Great Clans, the five oldest of all others. I suppose he’d like you to feel like an Uzumaki. For the two of you to have something to share, other than a name.”

She beamed and then glanced fondly at the scrolls. “It’s nice. My mom had just taught me the basics of healing and seals... she died before we...“ she shook her head.

Sasuke hummed. “Think nothing of that. That’s why Naruto sent the scrolls. And if you want to tamper in those fields Naruto can help you. And I’m sure Tsunade-sensei wouldn’t mind helping with small things either, considering that her own grandmother was a pureblood Uzumaki. And if you do happen to have an interest in Kenjutsu, Kakashi and I can fill the gaps, where Naruto lacks a bit.”

Her grin widened even more. “Thank you.”

Sasuke glanced at Kimimaro. “Shizune and Tsunade-sensei are looking into your disase and if we’re lucky, we may have results in a week or two. I’m sure they’ll find a treatment for you. If you need a sparring partner, I’d be glad to help.“

Kimimaro smiled. “Thank you... you don’t know how much those words mean to me.”

Sasuke shook his head. “Think nothing of it. Gods know, perhaps you can even refine your abilities and you can be a Taijutsu master, in a few years.”

Kimimaro’s green eyes glinted. “That sounds nice. But after seeing all you two had done on the way back, I think, I’d like to pick up some Elemental Manipulation as well. I’ve only refined my Shinkotsumyaku under Orochimaru. I know next to nothing about the elements — or my own affinity.”

He arched an eyebrow at that a bit shocked. “I’m sure we can help that too.”

“Indeed.“ Kakashi added, “And based on what your element is, we can help you develop your abilities. Naruto’s a master of Water and Earth, but Yamato’s no slouch either. Sasuke and I can help with Lightning and Fire and if you happen to have Wind... well, there’s always Asuma, altough Sasuke and Naruto both know a fair share of said element, too.”

Sasuke hummed and then he threw a look at Jūgo. The orange-haired shinobi hadn’t stood from where he was sitting, but Sasuke could tell he’d been listening aptly. “Same goes for you, you know? Naruto promised to have a word with Jiraiya... they’ll figure something out about your ability, so the Natural Energy can actually _help_ and not hinder you. You would have to worry less about rampages.”

“That would be _nice_.“ Jūgo admitted. “That’s why I’d gone to Orochimaru in the first place. I feared I might harm someone, if I lose control...”

“We’ll help. Oh, before I leave, remind me to show you a meditation trick. I used to have... emotional problems. Said trick had helped a lot and in fact, had in the long run, helped refine my chakra control. It may be the first step for you as well.”

“It sound interesting.” he said, “I’ll be sure to take you up on the offer.”

“It’s nice that you came over to visit and offer help.“ Karin said, as she made a gesture towards the kitchen, “Perhaps you could stay longer and we can continoue this with a plate of fresh ginger snaps?”

Ginger snaps? He wasn’t a fan of sweets, but this sounded promising. “I’ll graciously accept your offer, _Uzumaki-san_.” he said with a quirk of his lips, which caused Karin to roll her eyes.

“Maybe Naruto would like some, too?“ she called back over her shoulder, as she walked inside. Slowly, all of them followed.

“Where’s he anyway?“ Jūgo asked with a raised eyebrow.

“He has a long shift at the hospital today, so he’ll make it home at night. It’s a busy work.“ he said, as he took a bite of Karin’s cookies. Hm... he wasn’t one for sweets, but this was just fine. In fact, it combined the spiciness of ginger with just the right amount of sweetness...

“Oh, poor him.“ Karin said, as she grabbed a big napkin. “Perhaps I’ll take a few of these to him? It might boost his moood.”

Sasuke gave a small snort. “It _certainly_ will. He has sweet tooth and while I don’t like sweets, I have to addmit these are rather tasty.”

Karin grinned at him wryly. “Why thank you.”

* * *

Naruto looked at the little, crying girl, as she held her swollen — and obviously broken— arm. It had to have been a very bad fall, indeed. He approached her, very aware of the wary look the girl’s grandfather was giving him.

“May I have a look, Matsuri-chan? Can you take your other hand away?“ he asked softly. “I promise it won’t hurt.”

The girl — Matsuri— looked at him with wide, tearful green eyes and then she slowly took her hand away. Naruto smiled, finally having space to work. The girl had been crying ever since they’d come in and her sobs had just turned more painful, as her grandfather mentioned her fall. His hands lit up with the dense, green healing chakra and he carefully placed his palms on the injured limb. He’d felt the fracture in the bone already, so even without having a Byakugan, he had a very good idea, what it was like.

So, he carefully allowed his chakra to wrap around the damaged bone and pull it back into its normal place, while the other half of said chakra accelerated her own natural healing, using his energy. Altough even with using his energy, it would leave her a bit sleepy, as the body always fought inwading, foreign chakra, regardless of intentions. Ten minutes later the bone was completely healed and he’d even dared leaving a hairsbredth of his chakra wrapped around the bone, which her body would absorb with time and strenghten the structure, so it might not break so easily again.

He smiled, taking his hand away. “There you go, Matsuri-chan. All hale and healthy.”

She beamed at him, her sleepiness gone for a bit. “It doesn’t hurt anymore...“ she whispered in shock before looking back at him. “Arigato, Naruto-san!”

He chuckled, mussing her black locks a bit. “You’re welcome and... I have a gift for you. Justt cause you were a good and brave girl.”

She blinked at him, child-like curiousty mixing with confusion. “A gift?”

He nodded. “What’s your favourite colour?”

“That’s easy.“she chippered happily. “Red.”

Naruto laughed and cupped his hands together, flaring his chakra a bit, so it became visible around his hand, for the girl to see. When he opened them, there was a big red flower in his hand. _“Whoah!”_ she gasped, her eyes sparkling. “So pretty.”

Naruto chuckled and gently tucked the red flower behind her ear. “And it’s yours.”

“Chatra can do that? I wanna learn it too!“ she said excitedly, as she skipped over to her grandfather. “Did you see that Ojī-chan? I want to learn how to grow pretty flowers with chatra!”

Naruto laughed at the girl. “The correct word is _chakra_ , Matsuri-chan.” he corrected, as he sat behind the desk, to write on her file. “And I’m afraid you can’t grow flowers with it.”

Her eyes snapped to him. “What? But you just _did_ it!” she protested, disbelief and childish denial in her tone.

Naruto hummed. “I did... but, it’s... some shinobi, who learn to use chakra, come from old families. Those families have some abilities, special to them.” he explained simply. Matsuri tilted her head to the side, thinking.

“Like how Hayato has white eyes? I’ve seen his mom have the same eyes, too.”

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. “I guess your friend’s name is _Hyūga_ Hayato?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I met him a few times at the park and we’ve been playing together since then.”

“Well yes. You see, Hayato has a special ability like that — or will have, when he grows older. It’s in his family. My ability is called _Mokuton_ , Matsuri-chan. It allows me to grow and control plants. It’s in my blood, my family. So it’s not an ability, that can be taught. You have to be born with it.”

She pouted. “Sad.” but then she perked up again, “But... could I learn too? I mean, to use chat— chakra. To turn it green and heal, like you.”

Naruto nodded. “ _That_ can be learned, yes. But you’ll have to join the Shinobi Academy next year. And medics, like me and Oba-san have to learn a lot. And you can’t give up.”

Her green eyes glinted sharply. “I wanna heal too. You think, I could do it?”

Naruto smiled. “With a lot of practice. I needed a _lot_ of practice. And you’ll have to be patient. Healing can’t be learned in a few days.”

She nodded furiously and turned to her grandfather. “Hear that, Ojī-chan? I wanna be a shiobi too! I want to learn to heal, like Naruto!”

Naruto almost felt bad for answering the energetic girl’s questions, because now she wanted to be a medic and Naruto was sure she’ll harass the poor elderly man about everything related to healing and perhaps shinobi in general.

The man sighed. “The word is _shinobi_ , Matsuri. And... we’ll speak about it later.”

Matsuri whooped happily and she waved at him. “Arigato, Naruto-san!“ and then she sped out onto the corridors. Her grandfather stopped in the door for a second, a contemplating look in his eyes. It seemed his display forced the man to think — and perhaps see past the hatered he felt for Kurama. It was another small step in the right direction and it lifted his spirit, just a bit.

Then, the elderly man dipped his head. “Arigato, Senju-sama.”

Naruto waved him off carelessly. “I’m a medic. That’s what we do.”

As they were gone, he turned to the paperwork, that came with being a medic — of course, Shizune or Tsunade would check everything over, just to be sure he wrote everything correctly, but he didn’t mind. He was here to help and to learn. He knew a lot of things, but medicine was an ever-changing Art and Tsunade could teach him a lot about the more modern aspects. Just as he’ll take time to teach her something of the _old school_ , the moment she was done with that mountain of paperwork...

“Busy, are you?“ a new, unexpected voice called.

Naruto’s head snapped up as he saw Karin — the redhead was holding something wrapped in her hands.

Looking at her fiery hair, he was reminded briefly of his father. Once, in another lifetime, the Sennin had similar hair, altough his had been more red-brown. The brown hair him and Indra had inherited had come from their mother, or so he’d been told. He didn’t remember any of his children having red hair either — Kana’s hair had been black, too. So it was odd, that the trait had popped up in the line anyway and had stuck around so strongly, that it had become a characteristic trait of his kin, as much as the Hyūgas eyes.

He smiled widely, as he saw her. Her dense chakra, similar to his brought a sense of peace. His kin were not completely gone, altough not for the lack of trying, on Kumo and Iwa’s part.

“Just the usual for a medic in a Great Village.“ he said with a grin, “What brings you here? Are _you_ perhaps in need of healing?”

She walked into the room and shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Sasuke just stopped by and spoke with us. I’ve scanned the scrolls.“ she said quietly, “It means a lot. I... some of those — at the very bottom, the most complex ones— are of the Main Family’s jutsu and you still chose to let me have them. Thank you.”

“We’re Uzumaki, Karin. Possibly, the last ones. I don’t think, I have a reason to distigunish Main and Branch anymore. It’s just you and me. And Oba-san, but honestly, she’s more Senju, only quarter Uzumaki. Of course, it doesn’t make her _any less_ part of the Clan, but she’s a Senju first and foremost.”

“Still.“ she said, “And I’d like to take up on your offer of teaching. I would like to learn some Fūinjutsu and from what I’ve heard, you’re already borderline master. And I wouldn’t mind some medic training either, if it’s not a burden.”

He blinked. “Of course it’s not. We can speak with Shizune — she may have a bit more time, than me. She can help with your medic training and I’ll help with Fūinjutsu, okay?”

She beamed. “Thank you.“ she raised her hand, showing the small package. “Heard you’ll be here for a bit, so I brought food.” she placed it on his desk and he unwrapped it curiously.

He smiled widely. “Ginger snaps! Oh, I don’t even know when I ate last. Thank you.” he grabbed one and devoured it in two bites, not even noticing how hungry he was, until food was right in front of him. Today had been busy and he’d skipped the usual midday break...

He didn’t know what prompted him to do it, but he wiped off the crumbs and stood up, leaning over the desk, pecking her forehead. “They’re delicious. Thank you, Karin-chan.”

She blushed, looking away for a bit. “Y-you’re welcome, Naruto-kun.”

“Hm, they’ll help me survive...“ the urgent knock cut him off. He shifted, just as one of the medics poked their head in.

“There’s an urgent matter, Senju-sama and Shizune-san asked for your aid right away.”

“I told you not to call me that, Masato-san.“he reprimanded gently, “I’ll be right there.” he said. Masato nodded and slipped out, hurrying away.

He looked at the redhead with a small smile. “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to go. Thank you for the food, it’s delicious. I’ll drop by at Kashi’s, when I can and we can start training, if you like.”

She nodded. “It would be nice.”

He hummed in agreement and hurried out of the room — altough, not before snatching away another of the delicious cookies. Gods know this _urgent matter_ sounded like he’d need all the energy he could get...

* * *

“No, no and no.“ Sasuke sighed. “That’s _not_ how you do it, Onī-san.”

Itachi peered at him, obviously not understanding the problem. Now that he had some free time, he decided to help Itachi a bit more. Altough fighting could not be avoided in this world, they could at least prompt the other parts of Ninshū’s teachings, like understanding and harmony with nature. Chakra was supposed to help create that harmony between man and nature, hence the more destructive nature of their moves.

“Then how?“ Itachi asked, quirking an eyebrow. “It did just what yours had, Sasuke. Destroyed the boulder.”

Sasuke took a deep breath, conted to six and slowly released the breath. It seemed the concept of shaping nature, shaping the world around them, with the help of chakra, had been lost.

“Yes, it did just that. However, it cost you far more chakra, than necessary. Wind is your secondary affinity, so to say and even **_I_** can do that move with less chakra cost. Do you know why?”

“You’ve better chakra control.“was the simple, automatic answer. Sasuke shook his head.

“No. My chakra control is a bit better than yours, but nowhere as good, as sensei’s or Otōto’s. That’s just... not gonna happen. Senju and Uzumaki are more in tune with nature — they have a sort of bond with nature, especially Sages, like Otōto and Hashirama-sama — and with their body, hence the better control. And mental stability also helps, I guess.“ he added as an afterthought. “The point is, that my control is not much better, than yours, yet I can reduce the chakra cost to half of what you used now, despite the fact, that I have no affinity for Wind. It’s my weakest element, as Lightning is my dominant one.”

A second eyebrow joined its twin high on Itachi’s forehead and if Sasuke didn’t know better, he would have said Itachi was ready to _pout_.

“So, the concept is _directing_ the element you are using with your chakra. Obviously, lightning and fire are _energy_ in different forms, so they must, in a sense be created from the chakra used for the technique — useless you’re in a middle of a thunderstorm, which would provide a possible source for both elements, but that is beside the point.”

“And?“

Sasuke made a careless gesture. “Three out of the five elements are literally endlessly accessible, for defence and offence. Wind, Earth and Water. Water is present in the ground, the plants, the _air_. Using the moisture from the air is what made Tobirama-sama famous, because he got the concept I’m trying to tell you. He created a balance between himself and the element he used — so he was using Ninshū, I suppose, without his knowledge.”

Itachi nodded. “I get it. So a balance between the user and nature, which you establish trough chakra.”

Sasuke grinned. “ _Exactly_. Now, if you establish that balance, you can use less chakra, because you are just directing the pre-existing element, to do your bidding.”

“Okay. Seems simple enough.”

“Glad to hear.“ he made a gesture at another boulder. “Then get on with it, Onī-san. Let me see that jutsu.”

Itachi’s gaze settled on his target and then his hands flashed trough the seals — _Inu, Tori, Hitsuji, Tori_. **“Fūton: Kaze Tantetsu: Shiroi Karasu.”** (Wind Release: Wind Forge: White Crow)

The wind picked up around them and then it seemed to gather and condense into a faintly visible shape, that bore some reseblance to a bird. Then, as Itachi thrus his hand forth, the bird shot at the boulder. It exploded, causing the energy to burst outwards and create more wind, which tore at their clothes. A few moments later it was gone, yet the boulder was barely cracked.

“But... it worked.“ Itachi said with disbelief, “Well, it _should have_.“ he added in a quieter tone, a half-confused, half-thoughtful expression on his face.

Sasuke sat down where he was in proper kekkufuza and glanced up at his brother. “You _don’t_ control nature. No human can do it — you don’t have that sort of power. Members of the Ōtsutsuki Clan came to the closest to achieving control over naure... but most of them are not exactly human. And... that sort of power always had a _price_. A terrible, _terrible_ price.“

“Your _point_ , Otōto?“

“You let your chakra flow out. Let it flow with the water. Let it seep into the earth. Let it mingle with the wind and when it’s out, use the chakra to change the course of the element. Stay in harmony and _ask_ it to do the task for you. Don’t _demand_ it, because it will _never_ work. In a less severe case like now, it just won’t do what it was supposed to. In a worse case, the energy you expelled will burst and the element it was mixed with might injure or kill you.”

Itachi gave a small sigh and gathered his chakra again.

“Listen to the wind. Try the first step of meditation, before performing the technique.“ he offered.

Really, _Kaze Tantetsu_ was the very base of Wind manipulation — the _core_ of it. Once Itachi mastered this, with some work, he could be a true master of the element. Of course, his brother didn’t know _that_. Call him a mother hen, but he’s _not_ going to let Itachi rely on Fire. Not when he had health problems — of course, said problem could be dealt with and _was_ mostly dealt with already. However, the more Katon Itachi used, the likelier it was the problem will rear its head again and this time, perhaps not even the combined efforts of Tsunade and Naruto could save him.

Hence why he wanted Itachi to use Wind. Even if Itachi used weaker Katon techniques — which put less strain on his body,— the Wind could accelerate their power and also keep Itachi’s lungs clean of any lingering smoke , killing two birds with one stone.

He felt Itachi’s chakra shift and with it, so did the wind. His brother performed the four seals and he saw the wind get condensed. **“Fūton: Kaze Tantetsu: Shiroi Karasu.”** (Wind Release: Wind Forge: White Crow)

The bird formed again and it sped towards the next target, its speed greater, than before. There was a blast and Sasuke actually had to use chakra, to stay seated where he was, as the wind lashed out. When it was gone, the bulder was in pieces, just like it was supposed to be. Like he’d seen Asura doing it a few times, when he’d dodged said attack, during his I-want-to-rule-the-world spree.

Itachi was gaping at the destruction and Sasuke grinned. “And _that’s_ how you do level one Kaze Tantetsu. Well done, Onī-san. It seems you’re getting the hang of what Ninshū means.”

Itachi looked at him, the shock not exactly concealed from his features. “Level one?“ he asked. “How many levels are there?”

Sasuke smirked. “Three. And a level three technique from Asura was enough to destabilize my Complete Body Susano’o during flight.”

Itachi’s eyes went wide and he went several shades paler. “Sage have mercy.” he murmured.

Sasuke snickered. Naive, _naive_ Itachi — his father was not here now, hence why he and Asura had to deal with the mess the world had turned out to be...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please tell me what you think :3


	44. Konoha 15

_“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”_

**_— Satoro Ryūnosuke_ **

Naruto sat on the plateu behind the Hokage Monument, meditating. The past few days had been so hectic, that he hadn’t even had the chance to try forming his Byakugō. He had left a few Shadow Clones behind in his home to practice further chakra control, which would make his life easier. (Uh, he’d forgotten to tell Tobirama-jiji just how _genius_ it was of him to create those clones. Sad...)

The calmer he became the easier it was to sense the flow of his own chakra and as he sunk into his mindscape, he felt Kurama’s presence too, sharper than before. He gently tugged the chakra closer, _closer_... into the seal, closer... _slowly_... (He’s not going to let this stupid Seal mess with him more, than it already had. He was a master of chakra control, the first user of Mokuton and the one to lay down the basics of chakra healing. A simple Seal meant for medical/storage purpose will _not_ mess with him!)

...and then he felt it.

The chakra he had gathered and gently directed, had finally stuck and stayed. It left him breathless for a second, as half of his reserves had suddenly been absorbed into the seal. It was so sudden, that it forced him out of his own mind, back into the real world and as his eyes snapped open, he felt a little disoriented.

He huffed, just focusing on his breathing for a second, before he raised his hand and gathered a little water from the air. He formed little circle out of it, stilling the movement as if frozen over — a hurried, makeshift mirror. Just to be sure...

He grinned. There in the middle of his forehead, was a small, familiar shape — a familiar, purple rhombus. His _Byakugō_ was finally complete. Satisfied, he let the water dissolve back into the air and he lay on the soft grass, just enjoying the sunlight. He would need a few hours, until his chakra reserves were back to being their usual — oh wait! _Yes!_ Now that he finally had a Byakugō, he could have a small amount of constant drain on his reserves, which would help him, if he ever needed to release the Seal for som reason, not to mention, that the constant drain even with the daily activities would help his reserves expand.

Kurama snickered in his mind. **“You already have ridiculously large reserves, despite no longer having** **Ōtsutsuki blood and on top of that,ridiculously good control, that not even my chakra can upset. If you add only two percent of your chakra to the Byakugō every day, even that will boost the rate your coils expand. Indra’s going to be whining so much! Not to mention the added boost, if you ever release the Seal! He still keeps muttering about not having as much chakra, as he used to have this time around... you know. Before your reincarnation.”**

Naruto chuckled. _‘Yes and I feel a bit bad. Perhaps a simple Chakra Storage Seal may be of use to him? That doesn’t need such high level of control and it would close off some of his chakra for desperate times and help his reserves expand in a similar manner. The **Yin Seal** is special, since it’s meant to be the peak of chakra control **and** Medical Ninjutsu. Hashirama oji-san never used it, but combining the Mokuton and the extra amount of control, which comes with the Seal, means I could, theorically, put his medical accomplishments to shame.‘_

His brother hummed. **“That might be a solution. Besides, creating a Chakra Storage Seal is really just ten minutes. A long meditative session and he has it filled too... So it might work. As for Hashirama... I think you already put him to shame, Asura-kun.”**

Naruto gave a small snort at that, but before he could answer, his Sensory tingled. He sat up and shifted, just as there was a swirl of leaves. The wind died and revealed Neji.

“Hello, cousin.“ he said pleasntly with a wave. “What brings you here?”

“Good day Naruto. We... what is _that_ on your forehead?“ the Hyūga asked, blinking owlishly.

Naruto laughed a bit, as he stood up. “That, my dear friend, is a complete _Byakugō no In_. Used by Uzumaki Mito-hime and one esteemed Godaime Hokage.”

“She taught that to you? Wait... no don’t answer. _Of course_ , she did.“ Neji rolled his eyes. “How much chakra is in that?”

Naruto shrugged. “Considering I just formed it a few minutes ago, about half of my chakra reserves. It will get gradually more, as time passes, as you can’t _unlearn_ chakra control, if you get what I mean.”

Neji just shook his head. “I get that you and Sasuke are a bit _different_... but it’s your progress is really a double-edged blade for the rest of us. Half disheartening, half motivating.”

Naruto chuckled. “You know, you guys just have to _ask_ and we’ll help. By the way, how’s your and Hinata’s training going?“

Neji grinned. Naruto was glad to see, that since the beatdown he’d gotten from him and Sasuke, he’d opened up. Since the Caged Bird Seal was gone... well, it was like this Neji and the one before were to completely different people. “Good, very good. In fact, the Elders actually noticed how well we work together. And I _might_ have given Hiashi oji-san some extra pain, when I demonstrated the Elemental Chakra enhanced Jūken Sasuke helped me learn.”

Naruto laughed. “Good to hear. How about Hinata?“

“She’s good too. Some of the Elders are now _wary_ in fact, when they see her angry. They say she’s like her mother used to be. It’s kind of entertaining.”

“Hmm, that means we’ll have to keep an eye on her. Sounds very much like she’s got Mitra’s temper. So, what brings you here?“

“We had a discussion last night with the other Chūnin and our senseis and we thought it would be fun to hold a training picknick. The Akimichis are the ones, who offered to supply the food and drink. You are much better, than us... but you’re still friends and former classmates. Maybe you and Sasuke can drop by? The others are already there.”

Naruto hummed. “Sure. In fact, I think it’s a splendid idea. We can all help you learn new things. Shika and his father now know about us, along with Oba-san. Shika won’t have a problem coming over and asking something, if he needs help or something interests him. The others however... well, Kiba may be a touch too proud to ask for help and Chōji may be a bit unsure.”

“Maybe that’s cause you keep your distance? Don’t get me wrong, I understand _why_ , but it makes them a bit unsure around you. Of course they’re going to keep distance. But maybe Hinata, Shikamaru and I can help dissolving that?” Neji offered. “If they see _us_ going over to you for help, they might reconsider and do the same.”

Naruto grinned. “Good idea. Plus, we can introduce Kimimaro, Karin ad Jūgo. Oba-san said their probation is kind of over.”

Neji arched an eyebrow. “Come agian?”

“Oh, Kimimaro is Kaguya and Karin is an Uzumaki survivor. Karin, Kimimaro and Jūgo were kind of lured in by Orochimaru and he wanted to use them for his own ends, because of their special abilities. We saved them and Oba-san allowed them to become shinobi of Konoha. After probation period of course, but...“ he shrugged.

Neji just grunted. “I’m not even asking _how_ you came across Orochimaru...”

* * *

“Must we go?“ Sasuke asked with a small pout. (Altough, he would _never_ addmit to anyone, not even Itachi, that he was pouting at his younger brother. Nope, proud, noble Ōtsutsuki Indra, first-ever user of the Sharingan and Prodigy of Ninshū never _pouted_.)

“Come now, Nī-sama. It’ll be fun. Besides, we kept so much distance from everyone, that it feels like we’re pretenders. Ninshū is all about bonds and connecting and we barely have bonds with our own generation.”

Sasuke sighed in defeat. “But... despite everything, I’m still not a social person and there are going to be so _many_...“ (No he was _not_ whining! This was a _crisis_. He had never been good with people. Talk no Jutsu sprinkled with some compassion and bonding was his brother’s speciality. And now, Naruto wanted him to attend a gathering of more than five people...)

Naruto chuckled and he gently grabbed his shoulder. “Come on. Everything’s going to be okay. Just, try to be a _hairsberth_ more talkative, than usual. And knock down that usual nobility of yours a notch. All that composure may make it look, you think them beneath you.”

Sasuke huffed, looking away for a moment. “I’m not like that anymore.”

Naruto smiled, hugging him. “I know Nī-sama. But they don’t and we did keep a distance all this time, which might have projected the wrong image. They might think the difference in rank another wedge.”

Sasuke hummed and hugged him back, as he glanced at him. “I’ll try. For you. For us.”

The sunny grin his brother gave him lit up the room and made him feel just a bit better.

* * *

Naruto was shocked to find, that their peers weren’t the only ones present on the training ground, where Neji had told him the gathering would be. No — their parents were also there. He even spotted Kiba’s sister. Sasuke went rigid next to him, just for a second. Naruto could feel the discomfort radiating off of him more, than ever. He had braced himself at seeing their former classmates and the teams’ senseis. Their families tagging along hadn’t been in the picture and now he was feeling a bit, like a fish out of water. Feeling treathened, in a subtle way, which was _never_ good.

Of course, all his internal dilemma was invisible to the outside. Perfectly composed, a touch aloof — he still couldn’t understand _how_ Indra managed that. Back then and now too. It was the one thing, that hadn’t dulled over the thousands of years. (Speak about his brother being the epitome of shinobi. Composed and hiding his emotions to the extreme, that nearly no one could tell, what he really felt.)

Karin, Kimimaro and Jūgo were a few steps to their right, conversing quietly, but Naruto felt some curiosuty and excitement from them at the protest of meeting others from Konoha. Yet, the positive feelings coming from the three were still not enough to drown out Sasuke’s nervous discomfort.

 _‘Kurama, can’t you turn it **off**? It’s making **me** edgy.‘_ he grunted mentally.

His eldest brother huffed. **“You know it doesn’t work like that, Otōto. Besides, your own Sesnory is growing stronger and wider in range, the more you train, which just accelerates the abilities you gain from me.”**

 _‘Damn my life.‘_ He wrinkled his nose a bit, but braced himself, as the trianing grounds came into wiev. His shoulder brushed Sasuke’s in silent reasurance and the negativity rolling off of him seemed to lessen, just a bit.

As they arrived, they greeted the others with smiles and after a fwe words, Chōji pointed out the food stall, so they wandered over, while Neji and Hinata darted over to the three newcomers, to get to know them. They picked out some food and nibbled at it quietly.

The adults were conversing too and their peers as well, but the atmosphere still felt tense. Naruto frowned inwardly — it seemed, this was even more awkwards, than those short meetings at the Akimichi’s Barbecue. He doubted this was the idea, when the picknick had been mentioned...

That is, until Hinata darted over to them with a small smile, which gained the attention of her teammates. “Naruto, Sasuke. Good to see you.”

“Same, Hinata.“ they greeted at once.

“Care for a spar, Naruto-kun?“ she asked, motioning at the largely unoccupied part of the training ground.

Naruto grinned. Now, this may just be the push the others would need. “Of course.” he sallowed the last of his food and they walked to the free space.

Hinata took her Jūken stance and Naruto took his personal one. “Remember, that we have to contain the moves’ range, since there’s so many of us.”

Hinata smiled and rolled her eyes a bit. “I know.”

Their eyes flickered over to Hiashi, who was watching with interest. He knew Neji and Hinata had been training with them, but he hadn’t seen either of them face off against one another, since then. “Hajime!” the Hyūga Head called, knowing they were waiting for a sign.

They jumped at the same time, immediately echanging blows. As expected, Hinata went for vital spots (a display, that shocked Kurenai) knowing he would survive anyway. He redireced several of her hits and the ones that hit were mostly useless. The good thing about his boosted chakra control meant, that he could cover his body with a thin sheen of chakra, that stopped Hinata’s hits from having effect and since said chakra was the Adamantine version, which helped create his chains, it was really just tiring Hinata out...

However, she knew him all too well, so she was prepared. The moment there was a bit bigger distance between them, her hands flew into Seals. **“Doton: Ganchūsō.”** (Earth Release: Stone Column Spears) she called.

Naruto leapt back and used some more chakra, to propel himself upwards into the air, as he went trough his own seals — which were really just two. **“Fūton: Kaze Tantetsu: Suzaku no Seishin!”** (Wind Release: Wind Forge: Spirit of the Vermilion Bird)

The wind gained shape and formed a massive bird with glowing golden eyes, before diving right at the spears. Wind was naturally weak against Earth — well, in any other situation. Hinata was using her chakra to create and make the spears grow. His wind on the other hand, was the pure force of nature, merely directed by his chakra. Chakra, that was naturally dense, which added extra force to the already deadly technique.

There was a blast as his move hit and he landed a few feet away, feeling the tremor. The moment it was gone, Hinata appeared in front of him with a precise and rather fast _Shunshin_. She delivered a few vicious strikes, which he expertly dodged and redirected, saving himself from the damage. And then, when she aimed for his troath, he caught her open palm and smiled.

Her eyes went wide, as he used some chakra enhanced strenght to shove her away. It sent her flying backwards and she fell on her back. Knowing the blow won him a moment, he Shinshined to her side and positioned his hands— one open palm the other with three fingers pointing out— over two vital spots.

“Wonderful, Hinata. You’re faster than the last time, but I still win.” he grinned.

She chuckled. “Seems so, Naruto.“

He eased his stance and helped her stand up. “You lost your balance for a moment, when you formed your spears. Feet firmly on the ground. The chakra you channel to create them can also be used to anchor you and give you better footing, if you use the jutsu in close range. Even if your opponent avoids it — if they don’t go _upwards_ , like I did— then you can use the momentum for a _Shunshin_ and get close again and use Taijutsu to finish them off.“

She smiled and nodded. “I’ll remember that.”

Several people blinked at him (even adults), surprised that he had even given her advice.

“You two...“ Shikamaru siad, gesturing at him and Sasuke with a sigh, “are...”

“ _Mendokuse_.” Naruto and Sasuke said at once, grinning.

“Yes, yes.“ Sasuke said, his Sharingan flashing for a moment, “You said that a few times, Shikamaru. We _know_.”

Shikamaru huffed. “Instead of being a smart ass, _Uchiha_ , mind showing me that trick you did last time we sparred?“

Sasuke hummed. “It was Genjutsu, altough it doesn’t require a Sharingan and... considering you’re already familiar with Inton... Otōto, how much chakra does he have?”

Naruto looked at Shikamaru, stretching his senses. “About quarter of what you have, so I think he’d be able to pull out that trick twice in a sequence, before being down.”

Sasuke grinned. “Good. So, you want to see, Nara?”

Shikamaru nodded, sauntering over to Sasuke. Since they weren’t so far away, even Naruto could hear, as Sasuke explained. “So, it uses _Inton_ — since you Nara are fairly proficient with that, it shouldn’t be so hard. The trick is... well, since you don’t have a Sharingan, it works a bit differently. So, the chakra you would usually use for a _Kagemane_ gets spread out...”

Naruto turned away, shaking his head. Genjutsu was something his brother was good with. Best tune him out, before he lost the explanation and his brain started flowing out of his head trough his ears. (And Sasuke said _he_ was bad, when it came to Fūinjutsu!)

“Aren’t you going to say something, that your kid’s being lectured by the Uchiha, how to use Inton, Shikaku?“ a new voice called. Naruto saw the Inuzaka Matriarch approach with her daughter.

Naruto stole a glance at Shikamaru’s father. The man was completely calm. “Should I? The Uchiha are masters of Inton in their own way, Tsume. And it’s obvious Shikamaru can learn from Sasuke and he _did_ just offer an explanation —regarding whatever jutsu Shikamaru mentioned,— in a way, that does not require a Dōjutsu.“ he shrugged and then looked at Naruto. “By the way, what the jutsu is?”

Naruto shrugged. “I don’t know all my brother’s tricks, Shikaku-sama. Genjutsu has always been his forte. I learned to counter his tricks, not _use_ them. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind sharing it with _you_ either, if he offered to show Shika. Or, Shika can show it to you, once he got it, but I’d bet Nī-sama wouldn’t let Shikamaru teach anyone, useless he mastered it and mind me, he’s a freaking _perfectionist_ , so it might take a few days.”

“I see.”

“His own jutsu, you say?“ Hana spoke and Naruto glanced at the Inuzaka Heiress, nodding. “It’s not everyday, that shinobi so young make their own jutsus.”

Naruto smiled. “It’s just question of creativity and determination. And... chakra theory. _Lot_ of chakra theory and control, but since Tsunade oba-san is a freaking slave-driver— don’t tell her I said that—, when it comes to our chakra control, it wasn’t hard. I’ve _never_ heard Nī-sama curse so much, than during those days, when she was teaching him chakra control.“ he grinned foxily, “But it paid off. Besides, there’s no reward without hard work, right?”

“Speaking about chakra control...“ Shikaku cut in, “Is that a _Byakugō_ on your forehead, Naruto?”

“Aye, it is. I just managed to form it shortly before Neji dropped by and told me about this meeting. Cost me several tries, but now I can proceed with more serious medic training.”

“Impressive.“ Tsume said. “It needs not only control, but a certain level of chakra...”

Naruto shrugged. “I’ve more than enough to spare. I’m half down, chakra wise, since I formed it all at once, unlike others, who usually do it gradually... but _meh_. It’s an upside of my heritage, I would say.”

“What sort of little monster you are with so much chakra?!“ Hana asked with wide eyes.

Naruto shrugged. “Someone who’s half Senju, half Uzumaki and has _Nine_ for backup.“ he said. “Altough I use that chakra as sparesly, as possible. I prefer to fight my battles with my own power.”

Hana’s eyes widened even more, as he mentioned Kurama, but before he could say anything, Shino approached. “Naruto-san.”

Naruto smiled at the Aburame. “Shino.”

“I was wondering, if you would care to spar.“

He grinned. “Sure, but I warn you. Don’t even try using your kikaichu. At the moment, there’s some Nature Chakra in my system, which my body drew in since my own chakra is a bit depleted. Nature Chakra, if uncontrolled, turns the user or those that come in contact with it, into stone. I’d hate to turn your hive to stone. That’s not something that can be reserved... in case of bugs, I suppose.”

Shino eyed him for a moment and then nodded. “Thank you for the warning. I’ll keep that in mind.“

“Hm, it’s only fair.“

“I heard you use weapons, I was wondering if you could show me a trick, or two.“ the Aburame asked, as they took their stances.

”Hm, nope. Nī-sama is the weapon specialist. But I _can_ show you a trick, that you can use with throwing weapos, since your Clan are mostly mid- to long-range fighters, because of your _kikaichu.”_

Shino smiled a bit. “I’d appreciate it.”

* * *

With the spars done, they were taking a break and eating and just exchanging a word or two. There was finally some lull in all the activity, that had been going on. He noticed Neji frowning, nursing small bleeding wounds, that seemed to have been left by senbon and he saw several bruises on the poor Hyūga’s hands.

“What in the name of the Shinju happened to you?“ he asked, his food abandonned, as he approached the older boy.

Despite the lull, there was one fight still going on, rather fiercely — the long-promised one between Lee and Sasuke. The spandex-wearing Chūnin seemed to be able to keep up with his brother’s speed and precise blows, which was admirable. Indra had always been the fastest, out of the four of them (much to the chargin of their cousins).

Neji huffed. “Never try to break a Kaguya’s bones.“ he muttered and Naruto laughed.

“Hey Kimimaro, how long did it take to win against your _kin_?“ he made an exagerated gesture at the sulky Neji.

Kimimaro’s green eyes glinted, as he slowly walked towards them. “About five minutes. He’s good, but my _Shinkotsumyaku_ was a bit too much for him.”

“Hahaha, funny Kaguya.“ Neji murmured.

Naruto rolled his eyes, as his glowing hands cupped Neji’s injured ones gently. “Boys, _boys_. Work together instead. You two could be hell of a team, plus both of you need fine chakra control to use your abilities accordingly. I’m pretty sure you could teach each other a thing or two, no?”

The two looked at him in surprise, than at each other. “Well...“ Kimimaro murmured. “I do use chakra to manipulate my bones and I could use a few chakra control tricks.”

Neji nodded. “I’ll show you a few advanced ones the Clan teaches everyone since a young age. They’re widely known, altough mostly used by ANBU and above. Or medics. And maybe some anatomy would do nice for you too. If you target anatomic points with those bone senbon or the bone bullets, the damage could be bigger.”

Kimimaro smiled. “Hm, interesting. I’ll take up on your offer.”

“In return, could you show me how you coat your bones in chakra? I know you use that because of your Kekkei Genkai, but if I use that, than I’m less likely to get a broken bone or something, during a nasty fall.” Neji said.

Kimimaro looked surprised, but nodded. “Hm, hadn’t thought anyone would use my way... but you have good chakra control, so it makes sense.”

“And... done.“ Naruto said, breaking their moment for a bit, as he drew away from Neji.

The Hyūga smiled and nodded. “Arigato.”

“Then, have fun.“ he grinned.

Neji rolled his eyes and then he walked off with Kimimaro, discussing Taijutsu and chakra control. The scene caused him to chuckle. Those two were almost like Sarvastra and Mitra, before the girls had a fallout, similar to his and Indra’s (addmittedly, said fallout was much less serious, as they never rencarnated, nor did it spark a feud between their desecendants).

“Uh, Naruto.”

Naruto glanced to the side and found Tenten standing next to him. “Hello, Tenten.“

“Tō-san told me you’re very good with Fūinjutsu. I was wondering, if you would show me a few tricks?”

He smiled. “Fūinjutsu? Sure. Come on, Let’s find Karin. I promised her some Fūinjutsu training too, but I’ve been busy lately.”

“Oh... she’s nice. Are you two related? Same name and all...“ she asked curiously.

He shrugged. “Distantly, I guess. We share the same Clan, that’s all. Well at least the Uzumaki side, that is. That’s why she has such dense chakra. All Uzumakis are like that.” he smiled when he noticed Karin. She was conversing with Hana. “Sumimansen, ladies. Inuzaka-san, I would steal my clanswoman. I promised her some Fūinjutsu training and since Tenten here is also interested, I thought we might make it a group thing.”

Hana hummed. “Think nothing of it. I’ll have to find my brother anyway.“ and with that, she darted off.

Naruto glanced at the girls. “So you’ve already met?“

“Yes.“ Karin smiled. “We had a nice discussion about weapons and medicine. And seals — lot of _seals_.“ she added, the smile turning into a grin.

Naruto chuckled. “Good to hear. Settle down then, because this will take a while.“ he sat down and the girls did as well, creating a little circle. “So the first thing about seals is what ink we use...“Naruto started, as he unsealed his own Fūinjutsu equipment, for them to use.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave comments :3


	45. Outlines...

Naruto leapt trough the rooftops, speeding towards the Hokage Office — it was time to speak with his aunt (cousin?— gods, the reincarnation and all made it all the harder to figure out, who was who, in the family) about their further training. He was sure, that the formation of his Byakugō gave him a good foothold on asking this of her.

He leapt onto the wall and used chakra to stick to the wall, like a lizard. Then, he poked the window in and perched on the windowsill.

“Ohayo, Oba-san.” he called. Tsunade and Shizune both perked up looking at him. He smiled a bit. “Oba-san, I think, I have every right to ask for some time alone, training wise.”

His aunt’s brown eyes were wide, shock dominating her features and emotions. Shizune was barely better, than her teacher. “Is that the _Byakugō_?“ the black-haired female whispered.

Naruto hummed, smiling slightly. “Yeah. I managed to form it yesterday, before Neji came to pick me up for the training picknick they’ve organised.”

“You managed...“ Tsunade murmured, her face shocked.

Naruto smirked a bit. “I did... and I remember you saying something about eating your hat, if I managed. Well... would you like to eat it dry, or should I perhaps fetch some soy sauce?“ he jabbed lightly.

“You...“ Tsunade murmured, “You’re impossible.”

Naruto snorted lightly. “I inve...“ he cut himself off, reminding himself of Shizune’s presence. She knew nothing and it should stay that way. “I _told_ you I will master it and Uzumaki never go back on their word. So here I am. It cost me longer, than I initially assumed it would, but I’ve mastered it.”

Tsunade massaged her temples and sighed. “What sort of alone time do you mean, Naruto?“

“Training with our respective summon clans, of course. Naturally, we’ll still be available for missions, but we would spend more time outside the village. We... you know our plans with Nī-sama.“ he said softly, not willing to reveal anything to Shizune.

Tsunade understood though — she understood, that they strived to be strong to match Madara. She nodded after a long moment of silence. “Very well. However, I want you to work with a certain pattern. Your hospital duty, Sasuke’s short scouting days and our mixed training will not be called off. If you wish to train with your Summons, do so, but at the cost of extra energy.”

Naruto hummed. So, Tsunade was unwilling to risk them being unprepared. Even now, that she knew who he and Sasuke trully were, she did her best to train and teach them. Something, that earned their respect. She was just as unwilling to see the world destroyed, as they were. Telling her hadn’t been such a bad idea —and from yesterday’s experiences, those few who’d been involved, weren’t a bad idea either.

Hiashi and Shikaku had subtly started preparing their Clans for war and the other Clans responded in a similar manner, altough subconsciously. Yamato and Kakashi had upped their training a long ago and now, the other Jōnin and ANBU were slowly doing the same, as some of them had witnessed yesterday’s training gathering. Everyone was training harder, getting ready for when shit hit the fan.

“Very well, Oba-san.”

The blonde woman nodded. “Than you may join your Summons for training. Just leave me a way to contact you, if needed.”

“Of course, Hokage-sama.“ he said, already shifting in his spot, ready to leap away and inform his brother of the new development.

* * *

Sasuke watched with a smile, as Itachi dressed in full Jōnin uniform, Konoha headband firmly secured around his forehead, walked into the backyard — the generic ANBU tantō he’d grown fond of straped on his hip.

“Today’s your first day as official Jōnin of Konoha again, is it not?“ he asked his brother.

Itachi nodded with a pleased smile. “Yes. Altough, I will be staying mostly in the village for the first week, as I still have some of the medicine and Tsunade-sama wants to make sure I reach full recovery, before she sends me on the field again.”

Sasuke huffed softly, pleased with the words. “Good to hear.“

Itachi arched an eyebrow. “And what are you two planning, for the time being?“

“Otōto’s just gone to speak with Tsunade-sensei about it... We want to train with our respective Summon Clans. Collaboration and further developing our existing abilities. I will have to remaster Susanno’o again... by the way. I’ll help you develop your Susanno’o, after we switch eyes.”

“I _know_ how the ability works.“ Itachi murmured quietly.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. “Have you formed a Complete Susanno’o? Or have you _seen_ one in action?”

Itachi huffed. “I only manaded to bring up the skeletal form. And Shisui’s Susanno’o was incomplete... so no, I haven’t seen a perfect Susano’o before.“ came the reluctant reply

Sasuke smirked. “See? I _used_ one. And I completed that thing in one go for the first time round — admittedly, it ruined the celebrations, but still.”

“It’s totally unfair comparison, _oh almighty son of the Sennin_...“ Itachi murmured sarcastically and then peered at him. “May I ask _what_ celebrations did you ruin?“

“The one, that followed after Otō-sama declared Asura the Heir. I challened him, just in the middle of the celebrations — I acquired my Mangekyō just a few days before and while I reached the Ōtsutsuki Compound from my hideout... it was enough for me to get a hang of my new Sharingan’s abilities. So days later, when I interrupted the celebrations, I faced Asura fully prepared.“ he huffed, “But he alreadly had a portion of Otō-sama’s power, having been recognised as the legitimate Heir of Ninshū and new head of the Ōtsutsuki, so I addmit, I had harder time, than ever before in our fights. Altough, he was mostly trying to shield the Clan and the civilians, so I can’t really call that one a fight, I think...“ he murmured, recalling that night.

The night, when the moon hung above them in a silver crescent — the sign he’d belived to herald his vicotry, only for him to be forced to retreat, as Asura unexpectedly mainfested his Mokuton, trough the connections he shared with those present at the celebration.

“He unlocked his Mokuton and I was forced to retreat... but by the next time we clashed, I had full control of Susanno’o. That calsh was interrupted by the Bijū... and I burned down our comound with the White Flames afterwards...“ he shook his head, trying to clear the tangled, unwanted memories.

“I see.“ Itachi murmured, shocked.

Sasuke huffed. “The point is, I’ll teach you later how to use Susano’o and no _complaints_.”

“It didn’t even cross my mind, _Indra-sama_.“ his brother jabbed sarcastically. Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, but he was interrupted by Naruto’s arrival.

His brother had a grin on his face. Sasuke arched an eyebrow. “I take it she’s agreed?“

“You bet she did, Nī-sama.“ Naruto said, pleased, “Of course, we’ll have to be ready to be called back for missions, but that’s not bad. In fact, being out in the field, may give us a chance to try tracking Zetsu.”

Sasuke nodded, equally pleased. “That’s just fine, Otōto.”

* * *

The boys stopped in front of the best shop in the village. The sign above the door was modest, but still clear to see — _Higurashi Weapons – Quality and custom-made weaponry_.

“This is the one Kakashi mentioned.“ Sasuke said, gesturing at the sign. After a brief glance, they walked in, nodding to the few passing civilians, who hurriedly murmured greetings and bowed to them.

Soft chime of a bell filled their ears, as they entered. The shop was small, but the various weapons on display were an impressive sight. Katana, kama... there were several ofuda and scrolls and they’d spotted a section full of Fūinjutsu equipment — brushes, scrolls, ink...

“Welcome to Higura... Naruto, Sasuke?“ a familiar voice called.

The boys’ eyes snapped towards the voice and they found Tenten standing behind the counter, her face showing slight surprise. They nodded to her in greeting. “Good day, Tenten.“

“I didn’t know you worked here.“ Naruto said, as they approached the counter.

She smiled. “Well, the place is Tō-san’s. I just help out from time to time, between my duties. I love it here, it helps me relax. What brings you here?“

Naruto reached into one of his scroll holders and placed a small scroll in front of her. “We’d ask for custom made weapons.“

Tenten reached for the scroll he took out and unfurled it. There, on the scroll were two simple yet elegant and detailed drawings of their weapons of choice, with some extra notes on the side. Tenten blinked at the plans, obviously a little disbelieving. Naruto couldn’t decide, if it was the way they’d designed the weapons, that surprised her or the _weapons_ themselves.

“Uh... you’d like two... shakujō?“ she asked a bit unsure. Not that either of them blamed her for the flatering. Shakujō _were_ an unusual choice of weapon as they were most often used by monks and even by said monks, the staffs were mostly ceremonial, these days. Of course, they _could_ be used for combat, they just... well, they were _out of fashion_ , in a way. (Unknown to them, it would be another small thing Tenten would note and the collective shinobi population would add this small thing to the ever growing _The-things-that-were-so-strange-about-Naruto-and-Sasuke_ list.)

“Hai.“ Sasuke answered simply, “From black, lightweigt chakra-conducting metal, if possible.“

Tenten blinked at Sasuke and then nodded. “S-sure. It can be done, but it will cost extra.”

Naruto smiled and waved a hand. “Money’s not an issue for either of us, Tenten. When do you think it might get ready?”

The brown-haired kunoichi glanced down at the plans and her eyes turned thoughtful for a second. “Around two weeks, I’d weager. But... I’m not sure. It really depends on how fast Tō-san can get the material. I’ll be sure to drop by your home and warn you a few days before they’re ready. Will that be okay?”

“Perfect.“ Sasuke said.

* * *

_**Obake Mori:** _

Sasuke barely resisted the urge to cough, as the summoning smoke faded, along with the stomach-churning feeling of reserve summoning. He glanced around and found himself surrounded by massive trees, the light just barely breaking trough the thick greenery, mist lingering near the ground, giving an eerie feeling to the entire place.

Speak about fitting names.

He could barely recall the few times he’d visited his Summons’ home realm. There were two times, perhaps. Both times to train and to keep any chance of his brother seeking him out to the minimum, before their final clash — the clash, that had claimed their lives and started the cycle.

He shifted his Sharingan, as he sensed someone approaching his location. Just a minute later a massive, black-furred wolf was staring at him. He relaxed and allowed a little smile to grace his lips, upon setting his gaze on his familiar.

“Hello, Kagetsume.” he greeted pleasantly, slowly approaching his partner.

The great summon bowed his head. **“Indra-sama. A surprise to find you here, but a pleasant one.”**

Sasuke hummed and gently burried a hand in his summon’s thick, black fur. “I would say, I came to visit and chat, but that is not the case. I seek an audience with the Kinrō Sennin.”

The wolf seemed surprised, but didn’t ask him why he was here. **“Of course. Please follow me.”**

Sasuke hummed and followed calmly next to his familiar, keeping his hand in the wolf’s fur, out of habit and comfort. Altough Kagetsume didn’t seem to mind. Sasuke glanced at his partner and smiled a bit — Kagetsume had been raised by him, they had gone trough a lot together. Other than the Sennin and the Clan Head themselves, perhaps Kagetsume was the oldest of the wolves. Not that it could be seen or felt. He could still fight just as well as before — his very presence told that much to Sasuke.

The pack all stopped and stared, the older members (who had been pups at the time) recognising his chakra and staring with wide eyes, before they all bowed in a haste — after all he was their first and true summoner and for all they knew, he had defied the Shinigami, as befitting an Ōtsutsuki, to walk the planet once more. And Sasuke mused, they weren’t so far from the truth...

Kagetsume led him trough the winding paths of the forest, until they reached the cave, where the Kinrō Sennin had made her home. She was many times the size of the other wolves, altough the Ōkami of Obake Mori were usually bigger, than normal wolves. (Of course, there wee wolves, who were the size of normal, non-Summon wolves and others were even smaller, but most of the time, the pack’s members were bigger.) Her fur was golden brown and her eyes, shining, searing gold that had seen — and still saw— many things. She was, Sasuke mused, near the age of the Great Toad Sage.

Toads, Wolves and Deer were the first and oldest Summoning Clans, altough the Toads hadn’t had contract with humans for many years after their death. The toads had merely been friends of their father — and Sasuke suspected, perhaps the meddlesome amphibian had something to do with his choice of Heir,— and it had been the Wolves and Deer, who had given their contracts first. To himself and Asura respectively and their feud with his brother had merely further fueled the already naturaly present distrust/animosity between the two Clans.

As Kagetsume stopped, Sasuke dipped his head — the good thing about being the son (or currently, _reincarnated_ son) of the fabled Rikudō Sennin, that the Summons respected him as much, as he respected them and so, the ‘hyerarchy‘ so to say, was different as a result.

“Greetings, Yue-dono.”

The she-wolf shifted, her piercing gaze finding him in a second. **“That chakra...Do my senses decieve me in old age, or is it the _Tsuki no Uraishi_ standing next to you, Kagetsume?”**

“It is me.“ Sasuke answered calmly.

 **“It is you... yet it is not, Indra. Your chakra and presence feel the same, yet you appear different. And your soul as well... the same, yet it is not.”** Yue spoke thoughtfully.

Sasuke hummed. “Reincarnation — or rather the perks of it, when you remember, something you were not supposed to. I am as much Ōtsutuki Indra, as I am Uchiha Sasuke.”

**“And what brings you back to our humble forest, Indra, son of Hagoromo?“**

Sasuke took a deep breath. “There are foolish shinobi, who wish to break the seal that had entrapped Obā-sama. After so long, myself and Asura had come to see eye to eye and now, we would like to stop those fools from bringing about the destruction of the world, Otō-sama and Oji-sama loved so much. I came here to ask for your advice, as well as to ask you and your kin to help me regain my former prowess. Only myself and Asura stand between the destruction of the world, as we know it today.”

The great wolf was silent for a moment and then she huffed. **“So, the breaking of the seal is why I had seen the moon bleed in my last vision...“** she mused, tone strained and dark, **“You are weclome to stay as long as you wish, Indra-sama. Me and mine will seek to aid your quest.”**

“Most gracious of you, Yue-sama.”

Sasuke sighed in relief. His training was secured with the Clan — one step closer to regaining his power. Perhaps, just perhaps... they would not fail, as both him and Naruto had dreamt of many times, seeing rivers of blood and the sinister red moon of Mugen Tsukuyomi... only to wake from the horrid pictures amidst sweat and screams.

Perhaps this time they had a chance to do, what their father had wished of them the first time around.

* * *

Sasuke sat on the branch in perfect kekkufuza, feeling his surroundings, letting the immense amount of untamed chakra speed past him, like the wind — fast and untamed, yet serene and constant, like the flowing of water.

He felt his senses get amplified, with every breath he took, the chakra crackling and thundering uner his skin. He heard the rustling of leaves, the distant song of the birds, he smelled the fresh blood from the pack’s food, he sensed their chakra...

 **“ _Indra_!”** the sharp, worried/warning tone of Kagetsume, snapped him out of the peaceful state of meditation and as his eyes snapped open, he felt the energies flee his body, like water tickling trough a sieve. As the energy left him, he groaned a bit, frowning. **“Careful. Natrual Energy is far trickier, than normal chakra.”**

The Sharingan-user grunted and stood up, jumping onto the forest floor. “I noticed. I still can’t stand more than the minmal amount of it in my body, to temporarly boost my jutsu or senses. How Asura can gather so much and have it coursing trough his body all the time, I won’t ever understand.”

 **“He may have an easier time, due to his Mokuton.“** the wolf supplied, walking up to him to support him, as he staggered from momentary loss of balance. Nature Energy was tricky — if handled inaccurately, small amount would cause loss of preception, dizziness and pain. Big amount handed inaccurately and the individual would turn to stone...

Not a plesant experience, he supposed.

“Hai. I suppose so.“ he agreed, leaning on his partner, as Kagetsume led him back towards the pack’s resting place.

He loved Konoha, but spending a few days here in the Forest was also nice. It was calm and close to nature. Silent. He wasn’t as close to nature, as his brother, but as a practicioner of Ninshū, who understood balance, he was closer to it, than most shinobi these days. (Perhaps even some human Sages, because _despite_ learning to take in and circulate Natural Energy, not everyone understand the concepts behind those teachings and so, they gain heightened abilities, without properly understanding them.)

**“Come, eat something and rest a bit. We may continoue afterwards with Inton and Yōton. I would weager you can handle the other five on your own? Considering your skills...”**

Sasuke smiled. “Yes, altough I prefer Lightning and Fire. Wind if I must. Water and Earth are for Asura — I leave that to him. We work together well enough, that our differing abilities cover the other’s shortcomings.”

Kagetsume gave him a curious look, but didn’t comment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Kinrō Sennin" roughly means Golden Wolf Sage (the Sage/Leader of the Wolves of Obake Mori)  
> Yue means "moon" in Chinese and "beyond" or "moon" in Japanese.  
> Since Naruto and Sasuke remember their past, I think they would know their Summon Clans´ Sage names. The Sages names are kind of forgotten (like the toads don´t even know the Great Sage´s name), but since the boys had been around much earlier, I think they would know the names, that others don´t.
> 
> As always, please leave comments. Comments are like virtual coffee and cookies :3


	46. The Dogs of War

**_Hoshizora Tani:_ **

Naruto sat with the Clan’s Elders, brushing up on his knowledge of herbs and the medicines, that could be made of them. It was good for his memory and some of the deer could even show him medicines, that had escaped his attention before. But, he wasn’t just studying herbs and their effects.

In the morning, the Elders asked him to gather Natural Energy and now, he was to go on with his day of training, circulating that energy in his body — which was, of course a bigger amount, than what his body usually harboured, due to Mokuton. It needed a lot of concentration, to keep the energy flowing in a way, that would not hinder or in worse case, turn him into stone. Since he was mostly familiar with the workings of Senjutsu — and he just needed to remaster it, in a way— the Elders had gotten creative in helping him achieve it.

And while he loved and respected the Deer Clan, he felt like strangling the Elders. His body was resisting the Nature Chakra a bit more, than before, due to Kurama’s presence. Which made it harder to gather and circulate the new power and having to pay attention to an entirely different task was exhausting. Of course, he knew this was for the best — his Summons just wanted him to be entirely subconscious about using Nature Chakra, without it messing with his seal or turning his body to stone. If he managed to use it subconsciously in his daily tasks, it would be easier in a fight, where he could not _think_ about gathering and circulating the energy, because he had to pay attention to his opponent(s).

It was not an easy thing, but the soft pulsing of his great-uncle’s necklace was a silent reassurance, that he was managing to keep the balance so far. He was grateful, that Tsunade had given it to him and not only because the crystal agumented his abilities — which he told her— but because it made him feel closer to his dead family. He understood the balance of nature and the laws of Ninshū, however, he had grown up an orphan, despite his past life’s memories. He missed his family. The crystal made them feel closer, it linked him to the Senju he had never trully known and it eased his mind.

**“Asura-sama! Asura-sama!”**

Naruto whirled around, his violet eyes zeroing on the youngling, who was running towards him with clattering hooves. He winced a bit, as he lost focus and the Natural Energy fled his body, leaving behind a dull ache and stiff limbs. Ouch, he really needed to master Senjutsu again. It was so _bad_ , that one of his favourite things was an enemy... Right now, the power just barely sharpened his senses and Sensory. It was, instead, just making his body feel like stone.

The Elders glared at the youngling, but Naruto waved them off and looked at the small, dark brown deer. “What is it?“

 **“There was a message from Konoha.“** the Deer said, **“A slug brought it and she said it was important.“** she said, offering the small scroll.

Naruto smiled and his hand brushed against her fur in thanks, as he took the scroll. He unfurled it and was met with the hurried writing of his sensei.

**_Naruto, there’s trouble in Kiri. There are some, who asked for our help. Since the Jinchūriki of Sanbi and Rokubi are both natives of Kiri, I thought you and Sasuke should be the ones to go with a small team. This trouble directly involves the Yondaime Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura. Yagura is the Host of the Ishigame, if my memories are correct. Hurry back, if you can._ **

**_Tsunade_ **

Naruto huffed and furled the paper up again. “Is there a way to deliver this to the Wolves of Obake Mori? Indra nī-sama is staying with them at the moment and he should see this. It’s important.“ he said urgently.

The deer shared a few unsure glances, before they nodded. **“Maybe Shirotsuno could deliver it? Kagetsume knows him and he’s one of the fastest from our Clan, as well.”**

Naruto hummed. “Sounds nice.“ he turned to the youngling, who brought the message. “Thank you for bringing this to me. Could you please find Shirotsuno and tell him to deliver this to Kagetsume or Indra?”

The little deer looked frightened for a moment at the mention of the wolves, but then she nodded. **“O-of course, Asura-sama.”**

She took the scroll back from him and dashed away to find his partner. Naruto sighed, looking at the Elders. “I would need a Reserve Summoning to Konoha. As soon, as possible.” he said seriously.

* * *

There was a huge plume of smoke in front of the Hokage Tower and the villagers, who were nearby all stopped, surprised and wary. The shinobi even took out weapons and took fighting stances, expecting the worse.

As the smoke faded it revealed a grey-brown deer buck with dark, orange-brown antlers with a shinobi standing beside it — him. A shinobi everyone recognised as Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.

“Arigato, Chiseha.“ Naruto said, “I hope the message reaches my brother soon. You may return home.“

The Summon dipped his head. **“My pleasure, Senju-sama.”** with those words, the deer disappeared in another plume of somke.

As it faded, Naruto noticed the people staring, some of them even ready for a fight. “Oh, come on! Don’t tell me you hadn’t seen Summons before. Or a summoner using _Gyaku Kuchiyose.“_ he murmured, before leaping up onto the Tower, to ran up the wall.

He liked Midori-san, but the woman liked chatting and he was in no mood for such things. He reached the office soon enough and to his relief, the windw was open. He leapt into the office, to land in front of the desk. “Oba-san.“

Tsunade huffed a bit at his way of entrance, but nodded. “Glad to see you come so soon, Naruto. When is Sasuke...?“

Her question was cut short, as a plume of smoke appeared, to reveal an albino wolf, his brother standing right next to the Summon. Tsunade jumped a bit at the sight, but then sighed. “Sage have mercy! Don’t do _that_ , Sasuke!”

His brother chuckled. “ _You_ said it was urgent, sensei, so no complaints about my way of transportation.“ he said, turining to the wolf. “Thank you for your aid, Yūrei. I may visit in the near future.”

The wolf gave a soft growl. **“My pleasure, Uchiha-sama.“** and with that, the carnivore was gone as well.

“So, what’s the matter?“ Naruto asked, arching an eyebrow.

“As you know, Yagura sparked the Bloodline Wars in Kiri.“ Tsunade stated. “The rebels asked for our help, as they suspect Yagura to be influenced by someone. They don’t know, _who_... but they can’t deal with Yagura _and_ the unknown shinobi at once. So they asked for our help to reveal the unknown man and to depose Yagura.“

Naruto grunted, eyes narrowing a bit. “I _sincerely_ hope they mean to remove him from his office and _not_ kill him or I swear on the Rikudō, I’ll impale someone with a _Sashi Toge_ , before they can even touch him.”

“I don’t think they would kill him. They’re aware of his status, as Jinchūriki and they know, that Bijū get free, if their hosts die. They fear the Ishigame more, than that. They would just imprison him or something, not kill him.”

“That’s good.“ Sasuke murmured. “Who else are coming with us?“

Tsunade stole them a glance. “Yamato, Kakashi and Itachi. The five of you are more than qualified for the task and considering your _situation_...“ she made a pointed gesture, “well, you’re literally a two-man army.”

Naruto grinned widely. “Oh, such _compliments_ , Oba-san.“

Tsunade rolled her eyes. “Just get ready you two. You’re to leave before sunset. The sooner you get to Kiri — or the rebel camp, that is, the better.”

Naruto shared a look with his brother and then they nodded to the Kage. “Hai, Hokage-sama.”

* * *

The five Konoha shinobi sped trough the forest, the miles shrinking under them at a rapid pace. They passed Nami and hurried towards Kirigakure, forest and dry land taken over by water and islands. the closer and closer they got to the village, the more mist they encountered, which made it harder to see. However, two of the five were adept Sensors, so it was not much of a problem...

“...it should be here somewhere.“ Itachi murmured, looking at the map in his hand.

Naruto closed his eyes and stretched his Sensory. The Nature Chakra he’d gathered while getting ready for the journey finally mixing into his system, further widening his sensing range. His eyes snapped open. “Ten to twelve miles, northwest from here. Several big chakra signatures, most of them having a certain _touch_ to it, which usually indicates, that you’re about to meet a Kekkei Genkai-user.”

“I thought your sensing range was _eight_ miles at best?“ Kakashi asked with an arched eyebrow.

Naruto smiled. “We were training with our Summons, as you know. I come from their realm and I had a chance to gather Nature Energy in a calm environment. Now I released it and it amplifies my already sharp senses, while also strenghtening my body and chakra. The point is, we have to go northwest.”

Kakashi shook his head. “I’ll never get used to the amount of things you know — or how fast you progress. It makes geniuses, like Minato-sensei, look like babies.”

“Or geniuses like _you_.“ Sasuke smirked, as he leapt forth. Naruto chuckled and followed after his brother. Behind them, Kakashi grunted, while Yamato and Itachi snickered at his misfortune.

* * *

As they entered the rebel encampment, Naruto felt the many eyes on them. They stood out in the crowd, like a sore thumb. Kiri shinobi — and the natives of Mizu no Kuni in general,— had their own traditions in clothing and those traitions differed greatly from Konoha and Hi no Kuni’s. So, their clothes alone, were a dead giveaway. If not their clothing, than their headbands, all of theirs clearly visible. Yamato, Kakashi and Itachi carried theirs on their heads. Himself and Sasuke wore theirs loosely tied around their necks — he started to carry his in that way, after he formed his Byakugō.

“Halt! Who are you and what do you want here?“ a man in Kiri Jōnin attire asked, his grey eyes flickering to their headbands. Naruto felt nervousness spike in him, altough his face remained stern.

Naruto handed him the scroll, which had the request. “We’re here on the request of Terumi Mei.”

The Jōnin’s eyes scanned the scroll and he stole them one last glance. “Follow me.“ he said simply.

Naruto shared a look with the others. Kakashi shrugged and Itachi just made a subtle gesture to go along. Having no other choice, Naruto did just that, Sasuke close to him. The three former ANBU just two steps behind, seemingly calm, yet fully alert.

The man led them into a big tent and as the flaps fell closed, they could see the place had been arranged to be the office/war council of the camp. At the head of the table sat a beautiful woman with auburn hair, one of her eyes covered by her bangs, dressed in deep blue battle dress.

“Mei-sama, the Konoha shinobi you were expecting.“

“Thank you, Toshiro.“ she nodded, as she stood up. Her eyes first landed on him and Sasuke and she arched an eyebrow. “Greetings. My name is Terumi Mei and I’m the leader of the Kekkei Genkai faction of Kiri.”

Naruto nodded. “A pleasure to meet, Terumi-san. My name is Senju-Uzumaki Naruto...“ her eyes went wide and Narto berely resisted the urge to grin, (There was not a single Kiri shinobi, who hadn’t feared and admired his mother at the same time, altough the rest of his family were equally famous) “and these are my brothers. Sauske and Itachi Uchiha. The other two gentlemen are our former senseis and team leaders, Hatake Kakashi and Yamato.”

Mei blinked owlishly, obviously fighting some sort of violent reaction, either at the names spoken or the way he’d introduced Sasuke and Itachi.

 _‘Now look at her Otōto. You completely **confused** her.‘_ chided Sasuke mentally, trough their link, altough Naruto could tell he was laughing at her expression on the inside.

Naurto rolled his eyes at his brother and caught Itachi’s gaze in the process. The older Uchiha seemed somewhat taken aback at the bold introduction. Sure, they were like family now, but he had never outright called Itachi his brother in front of others, only Sasuke. He guessed the sudden gesture surprised Itachi. (Which he counted as a victory. The ANBU training held strongly in Itachi and it was sometimes hard to detect his emotions.)

“W-welcome.“ Mei spoke, finally getting a grip of herself. “I’m honoured, that the Hokage sent not only the best of her men, but one of her own as well.”

Naruto hummed. “It’s only natural. Of course, in exchange for aiding you, Konoha would expect a trade agreement and an allinace, once you are Mizukage, Terumi-san.”

Mei nodded. “That’s natural, Senju-san. Now, I think we have some strategies to discuss.”

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke were in the very front of the army of Kekkei Genkai-users, altough they could tell, that neither of their ‘family members‘ were happy about that. However, they were the heavy-hitters in the army, even if no one among the Kiri shinobi knew that. (Altough, the declaration, that they will be in the front, to give way for the army, did earn the respect of the foreign shinobi. That, they supposed, was a good thing.)

They could see the enemy in the distance, coming closer and closer. Naruto looked at the Kiri shinobi behind him. “This is going to be explosive. Do not, I repeat, _do not_ charge, until my brother’s flames burn, or you charge into a very early and painful grave.“

The woman — her chakra felt chilly, was she perhaps a Hyōton-user or just a master of Suiton?— nodded in understanding. “I’ll pass the message to the others.”

Naruto looked at Sauke and his brother smirked, his Sharingan spinning wildly. “Ikzo, Otōto.“

And they leapt forwards. He formed the long sequence of seals, his chakra blazing brightly, tainted with green and faint traces of gold. **“Mokuton: Yuki: Ibanomori!“** he exclaimed. (Wood Release: Oil Tree: Forest of Thorns)

The ground rumbled, as his chakra sunk into it, to mix the elements needed and small thorns appeared out of the ground, growing bigger and bigger, the closer they appreared to the enemy. Massive thorns grew all around the enemy shinobi, some of them trapped by the thorns alone, as Kakashi had been so long ago on the training ground. Others were much loosely surrounded, some had been caught by surprise and the growing thorns themselves drew blood, altough most had leapt away in time.

Sasuke’s own chakra blazed visibly, the air around him vibrating with searing heat. Naruto heard his whisper and he felt the shift in Sauske’s chakra. **“Ninshū: Shiroi Honō.“** (Shinobi Creed: White Flames) he murmured, his voice like cold, deadly wind.

As he looked at his brother, he saw the released chakra itself turn into the searing, white fire. Oh, did Sasuke refine the jutsu even more? That was new... his very chakra felt like it was aflame. And then, Sauke darted forwards, a one-handed seal flashing, before he leapt upwards. Naruto saw, that his gaze was set on the thorns. **“Shiroi Honō: Hinono!”** (White Flames: Field of Fire)

He exhaled a stream of white fire, which immediately caught his thorns and as Sasuke shifted, still airborne, the flames were sent farther away and soon, all his thorns were burning. A moment later, just as Sasuke touched down, several explosions went out around the army, as the flames had gained strenght from all the oil and the larger the thorns were, the more oil was there to burn and from the sudden heat, the bigger ones exploded, rather than simply burned.

He heard screams and cries, some tried dousing the flames... but the White Flames were hard to douse with water and his oil only gave them more strenght. Sauske flared his chakra again, raising his hand towards the burning field. **“Ninshū: Hiwaza: Ichiman Hotaru!”** (Shinobi Creed: Flame Art: Ten Thousand Fireflies)

The flames rose in tiny balls, so numerous, that they seemed to create one big blanket between the army and the sky. Sasuke grinned and snapped his fingers, which caused the fire to disperse in several directions, falling down onto the field again. Cries and screams were heard again, as the flames hit different targets again. Speak about his brother controlling the flames with a snap of his fingers...

Sasuke flared his chakra again, making a dismissive gesture. **“Chirasu.“** (Scatter)

It felt like he was drawing back all the heat and chakra he’d expelled... and as his chakra blazed for a second, Naruto saw the White Flames disappear, leaving charred, smoking mess behind, his thorns only partially recognisable, here and there. The field was all ash, smoke and mist.

He felt pure shock and disbelief form the rebells. The enemy were fearful and angry, altough there were many, whose minds and emotions were simply overtken by pain. And then, there was a spike of powerful, malicious chakra from the very heart of the enemy lines, mixed with anger, hate and disgust.

“ _Isobu_.“ Naruto said, “And it seems his Jinchūriki can use his chakra, because I feel human emotions from there.”

“Let’s go, Otōto.“ Sasuke said.

As they moved forward, the rebels did too, reassured that it was now safe to attack. The disshelved and angered anti-bloodline shinobi charged forwards as well. Naruto, using his Mokuton, grew two bō staffs and used those, to stave off anyone, who attacked him. Next to him, Sauske was using Taijutsu, to do the same, as they dove deeper and deeper into enemy territory. With each step, with each knocked out enemy — enough had died, so if it was avoidable, they’d rather not kill,— they inched closer and closer to Yagura, who was waiting hidden, in the heart of the army.

* * *

Itachi watched with no small amount of awe, as Naruto grew an entire forest of thorns, that seemingly trapped the enemy and a few popped up between their lines, breaking up their formation and thus, weakening their defences. Holy crap... he knew Naruto’s chakra was big and dense... but this was borderline _ridiculous_ , reincarnation or not.

And then, Sasuke breathed out that special fire of his, his chakra actually forming a _visible_ shroud of blue around him.

“Since _when_ do Uchiha have so much chakra?“ one of the older Kiri shinobi asked in shock. “That would pass for an Uzumaki Chūnin!”

Itachi almost snorted. His baby brother was no simple Uchiha. Some of the shinobi, who noticed him, threw him questioning and disbelieving looks, but he ignored them in favour of watching what his two little brothers had cooked up this time.

He focused his attention on Sasuke just in time to see his brother meters in the air, the blinding white flames leaving his mouth and devouring the thorns Naruto had created. It was like a deadly running fire... his eyes went wide, when some of the thorns blew up, upon contact with Sasuke’s fire. Sasuke landed on the ground and for a moment, they just stood there, watching as the white flames davoured the enemy. Then Sasuke’s chakra blazed again and his brother raised his hand.

This time, his technique could be heard all across the place, with the Bloodline army being so shocked and deathly quiet. **“Ninshū: Hiwaza: Ichiman Hotaru!”**

Itachi watched the flames rise into the air in tiny balls, so many of them that they eventually created a blanket of searing white above the enemy. Then, all of sudden the fire dove towards the army once more and cries of pain and fear filled the air again. The nauseating smell of blood and burned flesh reached his nose and the cool mist, that lingered around the land only made it worse.

His stomach did flipps in disgust and he needed a long moment to tamper down the urge to puke. This scene would be one he will never forget.

Suddenly, the flames were gone and his little brothers leapt at the enemy. This was the sign. “ _Move!_ ” he barked, drawing his tantō, channeling Wind chakra trough it.

As he moved forth, he felt a powerful, dark chakra spike from the heart of the enemy lines and it felt akin to the Kyūbi, so many years ago, if only weaker. He saw his little brothers move towards it, without hesitation. _‘Probably Yagura, if Hokage-sama’s account is correct. I hope they’ll be alright.‘_ he thought.

But he had no time to worry about his little brothers, as soon enough the enemy were right there, swords and other bladed weapons drawn, their eyes full of hate and despair. Itachi hated that look. A man approached him and swiped at his head with the nodachi. Itachi ducked under the swipe, delivering his own, but the man’s blade locked with his. Then, their eyes met.

“U-uchiha...!”

Itachi hummed, his Genjutsu already taking effect. Ah, he _liked_ being an Uchiha. Sometimes, the hypnotic abilities of the Sharingan really came in handy. Something he would have to thank Sasuke for... or perhaps the Sennin?

* * *

Kakashi had no idea, where the rest of his team had disappered off to. He’d seen Naruto and Sasuke head straight for that powerful signature, that had felt all too familar. Perhaps a Jinchūriki was in vicinity? Good thing Naruto had the Mokuton...

Altough, he supposed, Sasuke’s Sharingan did the trick too. He had no doubt his Uchiha student — or was _he_ now the teacher?— had more than enough skill and power to control/subdue a Bijū, like Uchiha Madara had done, decades ago.

He cursed and stepped aside, as the enemy nin attacked him, slashing trough his vest. Alright, no wondering about his cute pseudo-little brothers. They had a war to win. (Ah, he was **_so_** going to ask for a raise, when they got back!)

He smiled under his mask and did a few handseals, careful to keep his chakra balanced, just as Naruto had shown him. Here, now in the thick, misty fields of Kiri, he could do what his student was capable of anywhere. Here, with the teachings of Ninshū in mind, he could be, if only for a moment, considered a master of Suiton. (Ehehe, that would be _fun_ , listening to the disbelieving and fearful rumours, that Copy Cat Kakashi was seen using Suiton akin to a certain Hokage...)

 **“Suiton: Mizu no Kemono!”** (Water Release: Water Beast)

His chakra spiked, whirling and flowing with the mist around him and he drew it closer, willing it to take shape, while keeping a clear head, the water formed in small droplets, until it was a geat glob, which then formed into something dog-like.

The Kiri shinobi’s eyes went wide with shock. “How? Only your Nidaime...”

“ _Secret_...“ Kakashi sing-songed, as the jutsu barelled forwards,catching not only the man before him, but a few close by as well. Then, he did a few seals again, this time drawing back the already chakra-laced water.

It formed into a massive dragon and he listened with no small amout of glee, as his enemy cursed his very existance. The _best_? The jutsu took less chakra, than ever before... (He owed a few dozen bowls of ramen to Naruto for teaching this to him and he didn’t even _care_ about the dent in his wallet, that would come with invitng the blonde to eat, because the looks of disbelief and shock were all worth it.)

* * *

Yamato couldn’t help the small, satisfied smirk, as he looked down at the fallen enemy shinobi, who just realised, that a single hit had been enough to break his bone. From the look on the woman’s face, Yamato knew that she was thinking about Tsunade and her famed chakra-enhanced strenght. his was similar, yet it wasn’t. He didn’t have the chakra control for _that_.

But, he had learned a lot of things about Mokuton from Naruto and he’d learned even more chakra theory and what it meant to be in tune with the world around you. So he knew, that as long he he kept a clear head, thinking of protecting what was right and good, he could keep a clear head. Apparently, Mokuton was _somehow_ tied to positive emotions, just as the Sharingan was tied to intense (mostly negative) ones. So, using Mokuton chakra, which was denser than normal one, he coud achieve what Naruto and Tsunade did with normal chakra. Coating his fist(s) with Mokuton chakra, he could deliver the deadly strikes for which several Senju had been — and were— famous for.

He bent down and knocked her out with a chop to the neck, before she could react. The less they killed, the better. These shinobi, after all, were not at fault for believing their Kage’s words.

“Konoha scum!“ a male voice roared and a great sowrd flew towards him. Yamato kept his hands coated in the dense chakra, while channeling a bit of the non-densified chakra into his muscles, for extra strenght and he stopped the great blade with his bare hands. The swordman’s eyes widened.

Yamato smiled and took one of his hads from the blade, to form a Snake seal, as he channeled chakra into the ground. **“Mokuton: Mokusei no Ken.”** (Wood Release: Wood Fist)

A single piece od wood grew from the ground, the end of it forming a fist and it delivered a nasty uppercut to the Kiri shinobi. Yamato winced, as the man landed a few feet away, knocked out from the force of his fall... but they had a war to win.

As long as he managed to kill the least possible men, it was fine, he supposed.

* * *

Naruto stopped, panting slightly, Sasuke next to him. Getting trough the entire army was anything, but easy. But they finally made it. Finally, they reached Yagura.

The Yondaime Mizukage’s face was overtaken by a hateful sneer, but his pink eyes were empty. Empty, as if his soul wasn’t even in his body.

“Traitors. _Monsters_... and on the top of it all, you’re foreigners.” Yagura sneered, as his gaze fell on their hitai ite.

“Stop this madness, Karatachi-san.“ Naruto said, tone hard. “This war is pointless! All humans have a right to live peacefully!”

Yagura shook his head. “Not those little monsters. Only without those monsters, shall Kiri be safe.”

Naruto sensed his brother’s chakra spike and his eyes morphed into the Mangekyō. “Release him you _fucker_!” Sasuke snarled, his chakra spiking dangerously, Killing Intent radiating from him.

Naruto’s eyes snapped in that direction, just a bit to Yagura’s right. Cold laughter filled the air and they were met with a man, wearing black robes with red clouds —... that was the cloak of _Akatsuki_! The man had an orange, spiral mask with a single eye hole and from that single hole a sickeningly sinister Sharingan peered at the world. (It was the man, whom Itachi said, had helped him massacre the Clan. It was this man, who’d invited him to join the ranks of Akatsuki.)

 ** _“That’s him!”_** Kurama roared in his mind suddenly, enraged and Naruto almost winced at his volume, **“That’s the bastard, who extracted me from Kushina!”**

At those words, Naruto growled, releasing a wave of his own Killing Intent, while his chakra locked tightly around his Twelve-cornered seal, to protect his eldest brother. It was obvious, that the man had control over Yagura and thus, Isobu.

He had once controlled Kurama and gods forbid for him to try it again, this time with two Bijū. Kiri would not survive the rampage of two of their siblings.

“Ah hello, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun.“ the man sang, tone sickeingly sweet, “It seems you two have grown, since I’ve last seen you...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eheh... so there is a small something in this chapter, which came from a different fandom. Can you find it and tell me what it is and from which fandom?  
> The first to guess correctly, can ask for something from me :3
> 
> As always, please share your opinion, but no flames. Thank you.


	47. Sanbi no Yagura

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of chapter 46, this story is officially a MONSTER.  
> My previous long story "Quadrumvirate" is over 165 thousand and I never thought I would write anything, that reached that lenght again, much less beat it. Yet this one did... so It´s something to celebrate I suppose. As a gift to you from me, for this special occasion, I present THIS chapter!  
> Enjoy!

**_“You!”_** Naruto snarled, not quiet managing to keep the contempt at bay, as he pointed at the man. “ _You_ are the reason everything went as it did! You released the Fox and you slaughtered the Uchiha!”

The man laughed scratchingly. “Maybe I did... but it’s all for peace. Once my plan is complete, the world will know peace.”

“It’s _not peace if you spark a war_ to reach it, you **_bastard_**!” Sasuke snarled, breathing out a wall of flames at the stranger — Naruto noted with some satisfaction, that the flames were normal colour.

If they were lucky, the man hadn’t seen what they’ve done on the field. Which meant, he coudn’t tell Zetsu. If he couldn’t tell Zetsu, the annoying appariation would not know _who_ they were, which meant, they would still have the element of surprise.

The man jumped away and then his Sharingan locked on Yagura. “Kill them!”

Yagura moved with speed befitting a Kage. Naruto moved to intercept him, rising his bō to match Yagura’s weapon. He glanced at Sasuke. “Deal with _him_ , Nī-sama! I’ll stall Yagura!” he snapped. Sasuke nodded and leapt at the Sharingan-user.

Naruto matched Yagura’s glare. “You... _meddlesome_...“ Yagura growled, swinging again. Naruto raised his second staff to stop him this time and shifted his weight, shoving the man away. Yagura growled and did a few one handed seals. **“Suiton: Suidanha!”** (Water Release: Water Severing Wave)

Naruto cursed as the deady, high-pressure jet of water left the man’s mouth. He dropped his staves and did his own set of seals, to counter. **“Ninshū: Fūton: Tengu no Hane.”** he whispered. (Shinobi Creed: Wind Release: Wings of the Tengu) 

The torrent of wind sped towards the Mizukage, but he was nimble enough to avoid it, so the jutsu just created more collateral damage. Naruto grunted and leapt forwards with a chakra covered fist. It connected and Yagura went flying backwards. Naruto winced, as he saw his fellow Jinchūriki fall. _‘Gomen, Yagura-san. I’ll make it up to you for that, once you’re yourself again.‘_

“Kill them! _Crush them!_ ” the masked bastard snarled, his Mangekyō Sharingan spining.

Naruto’s gaze snapped over to where the two Sharingan-users fought and he watched in shock, as his brother’s blade went cleanly trough the man, without drawing blood, as if he were a ghost. _‘What in the name of the fucking moon?! Is he a ghost or what?!‘_

His attention was brought back to Yagura, as he saw the man stand up, the Sharingan’s pattern reflected in his eyes. Then, suddenly, red chakra bubbled forth and Naruto cursed, as a single, orange tail formed behind the Kiri shinobi.

 _“Oh, fuck my life.“_ he grunted.

He had Mokuton of course and at this point, even his chains would have been enough, but he didn’t feel like revealing either, in front of the fucker, who was the mastermind — or at least, the puppet-leader of all this mess. That man wasn’t Madara, for sure. Madara was old by now, possibly even dead. This fucker was just his underling, who danced how Madara— and Zetsu— pulled the strings.

The second tail formed and the orange turned into black-red, releasing even more of the hatred-tainted chakra. Not good... They were under the Sharingan’s influence and Isobu’s chakra was reacting violently to Yagura’s fear and hatred. Very... _very_ bad!

He did a series of seals and aimed his move at the masked bastard. If the Madara-wannabe was gone, him and Sasuke could stop Isobu’s rampage, without showing their power to the man. **“Uzumaki Shiki: Suiton:** **Ōuzu!”** (Uzumaki Style: Water Release: Great Vortex)

The water gathered and condensed around him, fuelled by his special, dense chakra and then it shot right at the Uchiha traitor. Sasuke was fast enough to use a _Shunshin_ to get out of the way, just the very last moment. The man on the other hand, much to Naruto’s glee, was caught square in the face.

_Score to Uzumaki Naruto!_

Sasuke landed next to him, his own hand raised in a seal and then he shot several fireballs at the enemy. The man’s Sharingan spun and the fireballs passed trough him harmlessly. He chuckled. “You two are impressive. But... not even this will be enough to stop me. Besides, once the Ishigame crushes you, there won’t be anyone to know who I am or what I want. And then... I’ll be free to catch the Fox too, when the time is right.“ he laughed and then there was a whirl of energy and air and the man was sucked into its centre, disapprearing from sight.

There was a wave of powerful chakra and a beastly roar and they turned, just in time to see the chakra condense and grow outwards. **_Shit!_** _Not_ a full transformation!

They both cursed and used a _Shunshin_ to get away.

* * *

Rebells and anti-Bloodline shinobi all froze, when they felt the wave of chakra and heard the roar. Those closest, also saw as Naruto and Sasuke landed a few feet in front of them, crouching, clutching onto one another, cursing so colourfully, that it put all the sailors of the Elemental Nations to shame. Itachi was the first one to react, along with Mei. The two of them leapt forwards to meet with the newly arrived Jōnin.

“Boys, what is...” Itachi asked, only to be cut off, as the Sanbi formed completely, his form towering over everything.

Isobu roared, wildly a trashing tail ruining half the western side of the field and effectively damaging some of Kiri’s structure as well.

“Not the _fucking_ Bijū!” Mei snapped, anger and worry mixing in her voice.

Naruto frowned, joining hands with Sasuke. **“Chakura Hōjū.”** (Chakra Sharing) he murmured, forming a link between them. He felt Kurama’s chakra flood his system, as he released his restraints on the seal, previously established to stop the Uchiha from reaching for their brother.

Slowly, most of his chakra, was transported to Sasuke and in response, Kurama’s chakra covered his body. It startled both Mei and Itachi and both senior shinobi leapt back, watching him with worry. Naruto stopped at five tails, knowing it would be more than enough to deal with their turtle brother.

 **“Nī-sama. I’ll hold him down. You break the masked fucker’s Genjutsu over him. _Control_ him, if you must.”** Naruto said, his voice deeper, mixing with Kurama’s. **“We have to stop him, before he gets the idea to charge a Bijūdama. We can’t stop _that_.”**

Sauske blinked, trying to get his bearings. “Alright. Do it, Otōto.”

Naruto grinned, his enlongened, fang-like teeth flashing, as golden chakra chains appreared from his back. A few dug into the earth and others shot straight into the air. **“Uzumaki Hiden: Kongō Fūsa!”** (Uzumaki Secret Tradition: Adamantine Sealing Chains) The thick, golden chains wrapped around Isobu’s feet, his neck and his tails.

Their brother trashed wildly in his bonds, but Naruto held his ground and he felt Kurama channeling more chakra. The red energy rushed along the chains and as it reached Isobu, the turtle roared again. Naruto yanked at the chains forcing Isobu to stagger a bit, which ruined more of the environment.

Sasuke leapt into the air then, his Sharingan ablaze. **“Kogen: Susano’o!“** (Origin: He with the Ability to Help by All Means)

The purple, Tengu-like chakra avatar mainfested in one, swift moment, going trough all its stages so fast, that they could be barely seen. Behind him, Itachi choked. _“Fuck my life.”_

If it weren’t such a serious situation, Naruto would have laughed.

* * *

Sauske grunted, as he felt the drain the Complete Body Susanno’o meant on his reserves. Not good. Isobu roared as he saw him and Sasuke knew this would be a mess — if they managed to get these two to join them, it would equal a miracle.

His Sharingan landed on his brother’s gaze and his chakra rippled out. **_Mangekyō Sharingan: Bijū Iatsu._** (Caleidoscope Copy Wheel Eye: Tailed-Beast Coertion)

Isobu froze and Sasuke used that moment to move forwards with Susanno’o. It was just a question of a little shape manipulation and good timing and his avatar fell apart, only to reform, this time encasing his Three-Tailed brother. As the last piece of the armour fell into place, he saw Naruto untangle his chains.

Then, he closed his eyes.

* * *

Naruto sighed, as the armour clamped down on Isobu. He untangled his chains and then with a wave of his hand, they shattered and dissolved. He hoped Sasuke had enough chakra to pull this off, otherwise they were as good, as dead.

“What the fuck is he doing?!” someone called from the crowd. By now, all fighting had ceased and everyone was staring at Isobu.

Naruto glanced at the direction of the voice. “He’s doing what Uchiha Madara had done, so long ago. Subduing a Bijū.” he stated simply.

The words were loud and sharp and several eyes landed on him, all a different level of shocked and disbelieving. The whispers passed over the crowd, like chilling wind. However, it was Itachi whose gaze was hardest on his back.

“Just _how_ powerful are you two?“ the older Uchiha whispered, shock flickering trough his features. Naruto guessed, he hadn’t expected Sasuke to know a technique — or to be _willing_ to use one— which was meant to control their non-human siblings.

He gave the Uchiha a soft smile. “Powerful enough to deal with this and that’s enough for you to know, Nī-san.” his eyes turned back to the motionless Isobu. He knew, that the moment Susanno’o fell away, he would have to reestablish Yagura’s seal.

He huffed, pulling out his sealing kit — best start working, while he had the chance.

* * *

Yagura blinked, when he landed in the watery sewer of his seal. He looked confusedly up at his paretner. “Sanbi? W-what happened?”

The great turtle huffed. **“A masked Sharingan-user controlled you. It was terrible and bloody... and I could do nothing, but watch. I’m surprised he hadn’t tried ruining the seal and use me.“**

Yagura’s blood ran cold. No...no he couldn’t have been controlled! What... what had he done?

“You did a lot of things, Karatachi-san.“ came a new, unknown voice, “However, neither of those things are irrepairable. Now that the man is gone, you may be able to take steps towards wiping away the moniker your village had gained.”

“ _Who_ are you?” Yagura called anger and fear coling in his gut. It was a male voice, altough different from the one he had heard once, distantly, so long ago. (How long had he been under the Genjutsu’s effect?)

A man — no, a teen melted out from the shadows, wearing shinobi gear, a Konoha headband tied loosely around his neck. He had long black-blue hair, tied back in a small ponytail at the nape of his neck, two stands of his hair wrapped with white tape and there was bluish-purple paint under his eyes. His eyes, that were red, spinning with a six-pointed star-like pattern.

 ** _“Indra!”_** Yagura was surprised, when he heard his partner’s sharp tone. It was shocked and angry at the same time.

The Uchiha’s gaze landed on Sanbi. “Is this how you greet me after so long, Nī-sama? I’ve just freed your Jinchūriki from the clutches of a madman.”

Yagura felt a shiver run down his spine, at the Uchiha’s chilly tone. And... why would a human call the Sanbi their brother?

 **“A madman, who shares _your_ blood!“** Sanbi countered coldly. **“You surely have a hand in this. You never liked us. _You_ were the one to say we had no right for freedom. That we were _dangerous_.”**

The teen — man?— frowned a bit. Then he slowly walked closer to the turtle (he noticed, that the chains dissolved, perhaps because Sanbi was free and they were still forced into this strange world, that was like his seal, without said seal holding?) and Yagura wanted to tell him to _stop_ , to step away from his parenter — Sanbi had been the only one, who never feared or hated him, the one who was always willing to speak with him and treat him noramlly. He wanted to stop this Indra stranger, but the sheer amount of power radiating from the younger shinobi was overwhelming. Almost crippling — not even the masked man’s presence had felt like this. Just _who_ was this Konoha nin?

“And I regret those words every day, since opening my eyes into this new life. I know, that they cannot be forgotten — I can only hope, you will one day forgive me, Nī-sama. I’ve changed now, I finally see the errors of my ways.“ the Uchiha said softly. “This time... this time I’m working with Otōto. We want a better world. For you and for humanity.”

 **“A better world?“** Sanbi asked, **“Strange to hear it from _you_ , who had driven a blade trough their own brother’s heart, determined to ruin and take everything he cherished.”**

Indra sighed. “I know those are words I cannot take back. But I mean what I say, Nī-sama. I stand with Asura this time. And _that_ man... the man who just controlled Yagura is none of my responsibility. All the Uchiha are gone only myself and my brother remain. The other two — one of whom just left— want destruction. They want to break the Seal of the Chibaku Tensei, to revive you-know-who.”

At those words, Sanbi drew back and for the first time since forever, Yagura saw fear on the creature’s face. **“No... they can’t....”**

“They will.“ Indra said, tone steely. “They _will_ try. Asura and I are working towards stopping them. Please, Nī-sama, if you value your and your Jinchūriki’s lives, if you value Otō-sama’s memory, don’t let them win. _Help us._ Help your host to survive.”

There was a heavy silence, the air so thick, that Yagura thought, if he raised his hand, he’d be able to cut it with a chakra-coated finger.

 _“Please Isobu.“_ Indra spoke again.

Yagura blinked, confused for a moment. Isobu? His eyes flickered to the great turtle. Was that the Sanbi’s name? Did Bijū have names? The questions were piling up, just within a few minutes and there were no answers at all.

Sanbi huffed, the released breath rippling the water under their feet and Yagura watched in shocked awe, as he lowered his head, closer to the Sharingan-user. The Uchiha didn’t twitch or flinch, as the sharp eye studied him.

**“You mean it all, don’t you, Indra?“**

The Uchiha nodded, his voice low — serious and pleading all at once. “All of it.”

**“Asura-kun? Where is he?“**

“He’s out there, watching. Waiting. His chains had tied you up, giving me the chance to do, what I did. Once I’m gone, he’ll be the one redoing your seal and this time, perhaps a stronger one, to protect both you and Yagura better.”

 **“So he’s here as well.“** Sanbi — Isobu?— spoke. His voice was strangely serene. It made Yagura wonder, _who_ was this Asura peron. The turtle seemed fond of him, if that was possible for a Bijū.

Indra nodded. “Hai. Will you help us, Nī-sama?”

Isobu looked at him and Yagura twitched at that, cursing Sanbi in the darkest coerner of his mind, for reminding the man of his presence. The powerful eyes landed on him and Yagura barely supressed a shiver of dread.

**“I will help— _we_ will help, Indra.“ **

Indra smiled widely and dipped his head towards the turtle. “Arigato gozaimasu, Nī-sama.”

Again... why was this stranger calling Sanbi his brother? And in such a manner? Who spoke so formally these days?

The Uchiha turned to him and smiled. And... to Yagura’s shock it was a kind, welcoming smile. A friendly one. This shinobi didn’t fear or hate him, as so many did in Kiri. “A pleasure to meet you, Karatachi-san. My name is Uchiha Sasuke, altough _Isobu_...“ he threw a meaningful look at Sanbi and now Yagura was sure it _was_ the turtle’s name, “knows me as Ōtsutsuki Indra.”

Yagura nodded, a bit unsure. So... _which_ name was he supposed to use now? The Uchiha— or was it Ōtsutsuki?— grinned wryly, as if he heard that thought.

“Use whichever name you please. I take offence from neither. I’m here, because...”

* * *

Naruto sighed, when he was finally done with the Reinforcement Seal, which he linked to his chains. Satisfied with his work, he crouched next to the array, Kurama’s chakra now faded, and he watched and waited for the smallest sign of Susano’o coming down.

 _‘ **Come on** , Sasuke!‘_ he thought, starting to get worried. _‘What’s taking you so long?‘_

As if hearing his thoughts, Susanno’o started crumbling. He looked at Itachi. “ _Get him._ He’ll pass out any second. I’ll deal with Sanbi, before he gains awareness. The jutsu he used leaves Bijū disoriented afterwards, for a few seconds.“

Itachi nodded and disappeared in a fast _Shunshin_. As the last piece of chakra armour fell away, Isobu shook his head, trying to get rid of the Genjutsu’s effect. Naruto flared his chakra, strong enough to crack the ground under him, which caused Mei to yelp and her eye went wide. Isobu’s single eye locked onto him and Naruto smiled sadly.

“Gomen nasai, Nī-sama.“ he murmured softly, as he did the Seals, before he slammmed his hand on the now-dried array. **“Uzumaki Fūinjutsu: Kyōka Fūin!”** (Uzumaki Sealing Technique: Reinforcement Seal)

The array lit up with blue-gold light and the chakra travellled trough the forming chains now rapidly flying towards Isobu. As it rushed along, the chakra created symbols all across Isobu’s body. Naruto felt the drain and he blinked to fight the dizziness. He had more chakra now, than when he’d changed Kurama’s seal and this one wasn’t as powerful, bit it didn’t mean he was _completely_ alright, after all the fighting they’d just done.

Isobu growled, as the symbols glowed. There was a massive plume of smoke and then his brother was gone. He felt his chakra be pressed back, into Yagura’s own seal, before it was all gone. The ground burned under his hand and the ink literally caught flame and disappeared. Naruto huffed and slowly stood up, looking at Mei.

“His seal is stronger, than before. You won’t have to worry about somehting like this happening, useless _he_ wants to let the Sanbi out. So... _don’t_ give him a reason, to want to do that.” he said sternly.

Shocked as she was, Mei could only nod.

* * *

Itachi leapt into the air just in time, to catch his falling brother. Then, still airborne, his next move was to perform a quick _Shunshin_ , hoping — _praying_ to Tsukuyomi, that the Sanbi had not noticed him. Then, there was a massive roar and as he landed on the ground, protectively craddling his unconscious brother, he saw the complex ink marks spread across the turtle’s body.

Just... just _what_ were his little brothers capable of? Of course, he knew about the whole reincarnation and Sons of the Sage thing, but still. Their knowledge and power was still mind-blowing. (He briefly wondered how shocked someone, who _didn’t_ know what he did, was, whenever they saw his little brothers do the seemingly impossible.)

There was a massive plume of white, summoning smoke and Itachi couched, as it invaded his senses. He might be healthy now — although Naruto still kept an eye on him,— but it didn’t mean his lungs appreciated so much smoke. As it slowly dispered, he saw another falling person. His eyes narrowed.

 _‘That’s probably the Jinchūriki — Yagura.‘_ he shifted Sasuke in his lap and did the cross seal to create a Shadow Clone. The clone leapt into the air, to catch the falling Mizukage and then, it landed on a tree. Then, it leapt down, landing a few feet from him.

When he was sure Yagura stood on his own two feet, he dispelled the clone. The Mizukage’s sharp, pink eyes narrowed on him, his eyes flashing, as he noticed Sasuke laying in his lap. “ _Who_ are you?”

“Uchiha Itachi.“ the pink eyes narrowed even more, if possible, and the man seemed wary, yet he reached towards his back, fingers wrapping around his weapon and Itachi knew that look... — protective. Yagura was ready to leap at him, since he thought Sasuke in danger. (That was another thing he couldn’t get used to. That his little brother(s) called the Bijū their siblings and from the reports, so far, they’d managed to make ‘family‘ out of every single Jinchūriki they crossed paths with. Apperently, Karatachi Yagura was no exception.)

“Release him _now_ , Uchiha. I owe him a lot and I’m really not fond of people, who could be a possible treath to my _family_.“ Yagura warned and Itachi panicked —just a _tiny_ bit— when he saw the red chakra bubble forth again.

“No... I _won’t_ hurt him, Karatachi-san. The Sennin knows Asura would toss me over the moon, if I tried something. Not to mention the Kyūbi. Kami knows I don’t want to meet a pissed-off-protective Kyūbi no Kitsune. The last time I’ve seen that creature, it tampered over my village and that was enough of an encounter for lifetimes to come, thank you very much. Besides, he’s my brother too.”

Surprise flickered trough the man’s face. “You know who they are?”

Itachi smiled. “Hard not to know, when I live with them. Besides, _Indra_ may be the Progenitor of the Uchiha, but _Sasuke_ is my baby brother.”

The Kiri native still seemed wary, but the tension went out the non-existent window, when Naruto appeared. “Indra!”

Itachi sighed and nodded to the blonde. “He’s exhausted.“

Naruto knelt next to him, on Sasuke’s other side and quickly checked him over, with glowing green hands. A few minutes later, when he deemed the situation safe, he stood up, nodding towards the Mizukage. “Greetings, Yondaime. I’m Senju-Uzumaki Naruto, though your partner would remember me, as Asura.”

The Yondaime nodded, a bit unsure. “Asura-san.”

Naruto darted closer, calmness personified. “May I check your seal? What I did, is a pretty complex one and doing that sort from a distance is always... _risky_. Just channel a bit of chakra in that area.”

Yagura pulled his clothes up and revealed a complex seal, that rested on his stomach, reaching upwards, towards his ribs. Naruto hummed, eyes narrowed, studying every curl. Itachi honestly didn’t understand what he saw in that gibberlish...

Perhaps he should ask the blonde to teach him some more Fūinjutsu? He knew the things required of ANBU, altough at this point, he wouldn’t be surprised, if his pseudo-little brother deemed his knowledge “basic”.

Naruto smiled, satisfied. “Perfect. It will keep your existing seal intact and protect both you and Isobu from further control.”

“Is that his name?“ Yagura asked quietly, curiousty colouring his tone. Itachi arched an eyebrow.

“Pardon, Yondaime-sama?“ Naruto asked. (Ah, count on the blonde to be polite, even if it was shaky, that the man will remain in office for long.)

“Sanbi.“ he said, “Is _Isobu_ his name? I forgot to ask your brother.”

Itachi blinked at that, peering at Naruto. (No he was totally _not_ going to react to the Mizuage calling Sauske _Naruto’s_ brother — he was used to that by now... maybe.) The blonde smirked at him, as if he sensed his surprise and confusion.

“Hai. All Nine have names, like we humans do. Isobu is the name he was born with— the name Otō-sama had given him. It was the humans’ not-so-nice idea, who feared them, to start calling them by the number of their tails.” (It was surprising to hear, that Bijū had names, but if the Sennin treated them like his children, the way he’d treated his sons by flesh and blood, it only made sense, he supposed. It... was just another small thing to get used to — that the Bijū were, in some ways, like humans. Or at least, that _Ōtsutsuki_ tended to treat the Nine, as if they were humans.)

“I see.” Yagura looked down and Itachi could practically feel the reluctance and the sea of insecurity, which the man was in and he didn’t need Narto’s special senses.

“We’re _family_ , y’know.“ Naruto said quietly, placing a hand on the man’s shoulder. “The way the Nine are our siblings, their Jinchūriki are also our family. You’re _not_ alone. They may fear and hate you... but that’s because they don’t understand. Give them some time. We’ll help clean up the mess and then things will eventually turn out better.”

“Are you sure?“

Naruto nodded. “Of course. Now come on. My brother needs rest and you best call back your faction, before the lot start killing one another again.”

Naruto glanced at him to make sure he was fine and Itachi smiled. He shifted his grip on Sasuke and picked him up bridal style. Then, they started walking back, towards the armies.

* * *

They stayed behind for a few days, to help the two parties smooth over their differences. However, Sasuke was having a hard time recovering and Naruto was getting uneasy — his brother had never been one to stay down for long. So they packed their belongings and were about to depart, when Naruto sensed two familiar signatures.

“Zabuza-san, Haku?“ he called in shock, as he walked closer.

The two shinobi looked up, both equally surprised to see him. “You...“ Zabuza gestured at him, “the brat from Nami. _Uzumaki_ , no?“

Naruto grinned. “Yes. Senju-Uzumaki Naruto, to be precise.”

The eyebrowless swordman eyed him. “You restained the Sanbi.“ he stated.

Naruto nodded. “Partially. The armour, which coved him, was the work of my Uchiha teammate.”

“You two are hell of a kind, for shinobi.“ the swordman praised, “I hadn’t known Konoha has some secret little plan, to spout out prodigies. Hatake Kakashi, your Yondaime... now you and your teammate...”

Naruto chuckled. “That’s just consience, in a way. But then again, Senju-Namikaze Minato _is_ my father.”

Zabuza’s eyes went wide and then he snorted. “And what, an half Uchiha, half Uzumaki for a mother?“

Naruto shook his head. “ _Iie_ , she was a pureblood Uzumaki. Uzumaki Kushina-hime, Heiress of the Clan, known as the _Akai Shi_. Sasuke’s not my brother by blood, just by oath.”

The man actually choked and Haku looked at him in concern. “What’s next gaki, you gonna tell me the Rikudō Sennin was your grandfather, or what?”

Naruto couldn’t hold his laughter this time. “No, Momchi-san. He was my _father_ , actually.“ he corrected between laughter and breaths.

Zabuza snorted. “Very funny, brat. Very funny. Your father for sure.”

Naruto’s violet eyes sparkled with mirth. Inside the seal, Kurama laughed, rolling on the floor, clutching his sides. **“If only he _knew_!”**

“Naruto-san?“

Naruto shook his thoguhts away and looked at the Hyōton-user. “Aye, Haku-san?“

Haku’s brown eyes flashed. “You said your teammate— brother did that armour, which encased the Sanbi... surely, that took much chakra. Is he well?”

Naruto smiled. “Yes, Sasuke is fine. He has chakra exhaustion, but I healed him a bit and once we get back to Konoha, he’ll be in the best of hands.”

Haku smiled. “That’s good. Thank you for your help. I wish him a swift recovery.“

“I’ll pass your well-wishes to...”

“Naruto!” Kakashi called. The blonde stopped and looked at his sensei.

“Hai, sensei?“

Kakashi nodded to Zabuza. “Momochi-san.“ his black eye flickered to him. “We’re leaving soon. Get ready, please. We’ll have to carry Sasuke, so getting home will take longer.” he murmured tiredly.

Naruto sighed. “I’ll summmon one of my deer. I’ll go get packing.“ he glanced at the two Kiri shinobi and waved. “It was nice seeing you, Haku, Zabuza-san. Perhaps you’ll drop by in Konoha, sometime?”

Haku smiled and waved back. “We’ll be sure to do, Naruto.”

* * *

Naruto felt a bit bad, as he draped the blanket over Shirotsuno’s back, before placing the still unconscious Sasuke over his back. He summoned a single chakra chain and gently wrapped it around his brother and summon, to keep Sasuke from falling off.

He looked apologetically at the summon. “Gomen, Shirotusno, but we would like to get home fast. We can’t wait for him to recover here.”

The deer shook his head, his antlers glinting in the wet light. **“It’s quiet alright, Asura-sama. May I ask what had gotten him to such condition? He does not have your chakra and stamina, but he _is_ powerful, I remember that much.”**

Naruto smiled. “We had to seal the Sanbi. Nī-sama broke another Mangekyō-user’s Genjutsu over Sanbi and then he used Susanno’o to hold him, while he made sure neither Jinchūriki nor Bijū suffered long-term mental harm from the control. In the meanwhile, I sealed Sanbi and reinforced his seal.”

Shirotsno drew his head back in surprise. **“I’m surprised you’re not knocked out yourself. Or that he’s even alive... you’re not at your full power yet.“** he said quietly.

Naruto smiled, gently brushing the deer’s white fur. “No, but we’re getting there, old friend.”

He shifted, when he felt Yagura approach. The man glanced curiously at his summon and then his eyes darted to Sasuke. “Will your brother be alright?“

Naruto smiled softly. “He’s the tough kind, nothing to worry about. Some sleep, food and a little meditation and he’ll be back in top shape in no time.”

Yagura nodded, obviously relived. “That’s goo to hear.“ his eyes then settled on him. “Thank you for helping. For evrything, really.”

Naruto nodded, reaching into his pocket. He fihed out a wooden trinket, similar to the one he’d given Gaara and Fū, after they formed a bond. “Think nothing of it. We always help family, no matter what.“ he offered the trinket, “Take this.“

Yagura peered at it and gently took it from him. “What’s this for?“

“Helps us find each other. If you channel chakra into it, we can use it to track you. Or you can straight up call for help. Anything, that’s out of your legue, on your own. Like the Sharingan-user — or any of the man with red clouds over their robes. They’re _dangerous_.” he said seriously.

“Arigato, Asura-san.“ he said quietly, and tied the trinket around his neck. “I wish you safe journey and a swift recovery to your brother.“

The blonde nodded. “Thank you. If you feel like chatting, just ask Isobu for help. The Bijū can create a special link, where they can meet, no matter the distance and we can meet there, too. Remember — we’re family, no matter what.”

The Mizukage’s lips twitched upwards. “ _Family_ , huh? I like the sound of it.”

Naruto grinned. “Oh, may I ask something of you?“

Yagura nodded. “Anything. I owe you a lot. If I can help...”

“We heard the Rokubi Jinchūriki is a Kiri native, as well.”

Yagura’s expression turned thoguhtful. “He is. His name is Utakata... but he fled the village a while ago.”

“Try looking for him, please. I will try the same, try to contact him with the Fox’s help... even if he doesn’t rejoin the village, he should know he’s not alone. And he must know of the danger, that’s breathing down on our necks.” he said quietly.

He remembered that masked man. He was dangerous, as his Sharingan held tremendous amount of power. Nowhere near his bother’s level — especially not with only one eye,— but even the power he _had_ was dangerous.

“I will try.“ Yagura said. “Hopefully he’ll have more luck avoiding the man, than I had.”

Naruto hummed softly, worry coiling tightly in his gut. “Hopefully.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, share your opinion. Your comments are my life force! :3
> 
> PS, The "small something" that was from a different fandom in the previous chapter is from ASOIAF/GOT. And it was Sasuke/Indra´s jutsu "Field of Fire"  
> The "Field of Fire" was one of the clashes in the time of the Targaryen Conquest. It was the battle, where the Conqueror and his sister-wives won against the Lannister Kings of the Rock and brought the Westerlands into their growing Kingdom.


	48. Words

**_Sangaku no Hakaba:_ **

Obito cursed in the darkness of the room, as he knelt in front of the Gedō Mazō, where once Madara had sat. He was tired, his eye stung like hell and his former sensei’s _meddlesome brat of a son_ had broken a few of his ribs with that freaking Uzumaki jutsu of his. (He remembered Kushina-san using it once, he just didn’t know it was _that_ strong.) Not to mention, that Itachi’s _talentless baby brother_ kicked like hell. If Itachi called the likes of Naruto and Sauske _talentless_ , Obito wondered what the former Uchiha Heir counted as actual **_talent_** , worth mentioning.

He looked up, when he sensed Zetsu appearing trough the floor. The bi-coloured artifical human blinked at his disshelved state. “What happened **to you, Obito?** “

Obito scowled. “Itachi’s brother kicks like hell and the Kyūbi Jinchūriki is worthy of the Uzumaki name, _that’s_ what happened. Now get me bandages, will you? The little blonde meneace broke a few of my ribs.” he hissed.

Zetsu disappeared trough the floor again and in the meanwhile, Obito tried to carefully peel himself off of his colack and clothing. He was only halfway, when Zetsu returned, with bandages and a basic medical kit. The creature approached and helped him with the rest of his clothes and then opened the kit to have a look at his wounds.

 **“Again, what** happened in Kiri?“

Obito scowled. “Senju-Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke are _powerful_ , despite their young age. And _dangerous_.” he hissed, as Zetsu prodded at his wounds, but as the creature worked further and the pain dulled, Obito could breath again. “The Jinchūriki broke my ribs with a signature Uzumaki technique. And I could feel my little cousin’s eyes... his Sharingan holds power. Lots of it.”

Zetsu’s round face controrted into a frown, half worried, half angry. “That does not sound good. **What of the Mizukage?”**

“I can feel, that they somehow broke my connection to him.“ Obito growled. “I want you to go to Kiri and spy on the lot. I want to know what that was —what they’ve done. While you’re at it, I’ll rest.”

Zetsu nodded. “Of course. **And Itachi?“**

“I think I’ve seen him wearing a Konoha headband, while fleeing.“ he spat, “He played us. Ignore him for now, but if anyone gets the chance, no matter how small that chance is ... _kill him_.” he snarled, his Sharingan flashing with anger, despite his exhaustion.

Zetsu merely nodded, before sinking into the ground. Obito leaned against the stone throne with a tired groan. Trying to bring peace was so tiresome... perhaps he should just have let himself die that day, after the stones fell? Gods knew, perhaps then he would be with Rin already...

 _‘No, don’t think like that.‘_ he chided himself, _‘Madara-sama is waiting, counting on me to go on with this plan and I will. I will complete it and together, we will bring peace, so there won’t be any more bloodshed... And in the end, I shall see Rin once more.‘_

* * *

**_Konoha, Namikaze Estate:_ **

Sasuke woke with a splitting headache and his limbs feeling like stone. When he opened his eyes, he immediately shut them, as the sharp light stung his senses. He groaned, cursing in his head.

Chakra exhaustion was a bitch. (Why was **_he_** , Ōtsutsuki Indra, _Tsuki no Uraishi, Kaminari no Kami, Ninshū no Tensai_ cursed with something as painful, trivial and degrading, as chakra exhaustion?)

 **“You’re like that because you were being reckless.“** Kurama’s distant voice rumbled.

Sasuke huffed and closed his eyes, trying to focus on his eldest brother’s chakra presence. Despite his sharp Sensory, it was hard at the moment. _‘Where are you, Nī-sama?‘_

 **“Asura has a shift at the hospital. We’ll be back in a few hours. Your Uchiha brother though, should be in the house. Rest, though. Asura was pretty skittish on the way back — you were pretty bad off. Almost burned out your own chakra pathway.”** Kurama explained and then his presence faded from his mind entirely, not that it had been strong, to being with.

Sasuke winced at that. The last time _that_ happened, was when he had created his most destructive move with Susano’o. His wife had been pretty freaked out and then as a form of punishmet for freaking her out, she’d refused to speak to him for an entire week. And that _glare_... — he shivered. Shachi never had the Sharingan, like some of his followers gained it, trough thel blood ritual... but even without the Dōjutsu, she was fearsome enough. Gods forbid that _glare_...

 _‘No. Stop thinking about that.‘_ he thought, hurriedly banishing the blood-freezing glare from his thoughts. Her blue eyes had been beautiful, but he never, ever in the rest of his life wanted to see such a glare. It was perhaps, even worse, than his _father’s_ glare and that was saying something.

“I see you’re awake, Otōto.” came a soft voice from his room’s door.

Sasuke shifted his head on the pillow and smiled tiredly at Itachi. “ ’tachi-nī. Are you alright? Kakashi? Yamato?”

Itachi huffed softly, as he walked into the room and carefully sat on the edge of his bed. “We’re all fine. Tired, but fine. Naruto was the worst off, when we departed from Kiri, but he recovered quickly, no doubt, both the work of his heritage and the Fox. Now he’s at the hospital, doing his shift, altough it’s shorter, than usual. Tsunade-sama wants him to rest too, but he was stubborn about doing his work. He left about fifteen minutes ago.”

Sasuke hummed, asknowledging all, that had been said. “How long was I out?”

“This is the third day since we’re back. I honestly thought you’ll be out today, too... but...“ Itachi trailed off, his black eyes glinting sharply, studying him, “I’m glad you’re awake.”

Sasuke grunted, his eyes drifting shut. His head hurt from all the light — otherwise, save for the dull ache all over his body and that his limbs felt like stones, he was okay. Better, than he anticipated, after nearly burning out his chakra pathways. (Probably Naruto healed him some, on the way back. Or, if not him, considering his exhaustion, than one of his Summons.)

Even with his eyes closed, he could feel Itachi’s heavy gaze. “Ask away.“ he said quietly, “I can _feel_ , how much you want to talk.”

Itachi huffed. “ _Never_ do that again, Sasuke. Do you know how... _scared_ I was, when I realised, that it wasn’t a simple chakra exhaustion?” Sasuke felt bad, as he sensed the worry and hurt in his brother’s tone. Suddenly, in a few seconds, he saw more emotion on the usually passive face, than in the long weeks, since Itachi’s return, “Naruto was tired too and I could see the small signs, that meant he was borderline exhausted, about to collapse... but he held it together long enough to actually _reach_ his cot and sleep. You on the other hand... pale and sweating, yet as cold as ice...”

Sauske sighed and his hand sneaked out from under the covers, to grasp Itachi’s. “Gomen, Onī-san. But ony we could hope to subdue Isobu _and_ break the masked man’s control.”

“Masked man?“ Itachi whispered, “You saw him? You met Madara?”

Sasuke sighed. “That’s not Madara. Nī-sama met the man on the night of Naruto’s birth and he also enocountered Madara around the happenings of the Shūmatsu no Tani, remember?“ he shook his head, “He said that man wasn’t Madara and I believe him.”

Itachi huffed. “Still. He’s powerful. And... you fought him?”

Sasuke grunted. “Yes. Skilled fighter with a powerful Sharingan. A Sharingan capable of controlling Bijū, which so far only Madara had ever achieved. I don’t count — I had the power, but I never actually forced any of my siblings to...” he trailed off, shaking his head, unable to even say the words. He remembered — he remembered not trusting his siblings, altough he’d never sunk so low, to turn them into living, yet helpless pupets. “Not to mention he has _Kamui_ in that eye of his...”

Itachi arched an eyebrow. “Kamui? Is that a Mangekyō ability? And what does it do? And wait... doesn’t everyone have one or two in their eyes? How do you...”

“ _Itachi_.“ Sasuke called sharply, “Let me answer, Shinju damn it.” he took a deep breath, giving his brother a sharp look. Itachi calmed himslef, looking apologetic for a second, “Yes, _Kamui_ is an ability of the Mangekyō Sharingan. It’s an advanced Space-Time technique, which makes the _Hirashin_ look like a joke... but that’s beside the point. And _yes_ , most of the time, a Mangakyō has one special ability, plus Susanno’o. The only exception is Tsukuyomi/Amaterasu. The two abilities are so closely linked, that the individual, who has... say a primary acess to Tsukuyomi, like yourself, has a less-refined chance to use Amaterasu and vice versa. I posess both Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu, as you’ve seen, when I broke yours. Altough, my Tsukuyomi/Amaterasu pair are equally powerful. I guess it comes with... kind of being an Ōtsutsuki, even if I don’t have the blood anymore. I know the workings of Kamui, becuase one of my sons posessed it and while I was dead at the time, both Asura and me... we kind of watched over our families, even after death.”

Itachi nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I see... Which begs the question...“ Sasuke arched an eyebrow in a curious fashion, “Just _how_ powerful are you? Both of you.”

Sasuke chuckled. “Very powerful. Powerful enough to be called gods in our lifetime. A lot like Hashirama-sama and Madara, in a sense. But we were _powerful_ in a different sense. It’s hard to explain...“ he sighed. “Why are you asking?“

Itachi blinked at him and then snorted. “ _Why_ I’m asking? You and Naruto killed half an army, impaling, trapping and incinerating them... and then you go along to _subdue_ and _reseal_ the _Sanbi_. And by your story, the Madara-wannabe, was using Genjutsu, to control Yagura, which you’ve broken.“

Sasuke smirked. “Yeah. And I think Otōto broke a few of his bones with a well aimed Suiton.”

“ _See?_ “ Itachi asked, eyes narrowing and Sasuke thought, had his brother been anyone else, he would have been flailing around and shouting, “ _That’s_ what I’m talking about. That’s _not normal_. Especially not for people so young.”

Sasuke chuckled. “It’s _normal_ for me and Otōto. In blood, we’re Naruto and Sasuke. Mentally, we’re two people at once. And we hold the skills and power of Indra and Asura. In fact, we’re _weak_ , compared to what we were capabe of, in the last years of our life. Just so you understand... chakra wise, I should have been able to dudue Sanbi _and_ Kyūbi and still be able to fight Asura well enough, to scar the land. And he would have been able to break them from my control and still match me, _without_ Senjutsu.”

Itachi looked like he’d been hit in the stomach with a chakra-enhanced punch. “Kami help the world, if you ever gain all that power back.”

Sasuke laughed quietly. “Gain that back? We’re going to _surpass_ that, Itachi. We’re already capable of more, even if it leaves us weakened and fainting, than we were capable of achieving the first time around, at this age.”

Itachi’s lips parted a bit in shock. “That would make the likes of Shodaime-sama and Madara look like fresh Jōnin fumbling to match a Kage.”

He smirked. “Yeah, possibly...“ his face settled into calmness again, “And I don’t want to be disrespectful towards the Hokage at all. But _if_ we ever manage, they’ll look like that, compared to us, yes.”

“Kami-sama have mercy.”

“ _What_ were you expecting Itachi? Our grandmother is literally the goddess of chakra, our father the Rikudō Sennin, who himself was called a god in his life.”

His brother sighed. “A part of me is very impressed and proud... another part is crying, because it feels like that all I achieved as a shinobi, is nothing, compared to what you know. Don’t get me wrong, I _always_ hoped you’ll surpass me.... but this is almost ridiculous.”

Sasuke laughed a bit again and shifted in bed, to put his forehead against Itachi. “Don’t compare yourself to Madara... or me. Compare your progress to where you stood before and then, you’ll see how much you’ve achieved. And... we’ll get stronger _together_. You show me that trick you always did with the kunai and I’ll help you complete your Susanno’o. Deal?”

Itachi looked like he wanted to say something about the trick, regarding the kunai, but instead, his brother just gently brought him into a hug, their foreheads still touching. “Deal, Otōto.”

* * *

Following that disastorous conversation with Obito, when the Uchiha had to be patched up, Zetsu set off to do the given task. Going back to Kiri and spying on the shinobi was as easy, as ever — they still couldn’t detect his presence. He went back to Kiri, curious about the two boys, whom Obito cursed so loudly and colorfully.

Who could possibly have enough skill to wound Obito? Sure, the young Uchiha was nowhere near Madara, in the man’s prime, but he was powerful. Madara was the literal god among the Uchiha... if he ignored Indra.

Indra was the real god of the Uchiha, his power and prowess unmatched by his descendants so far. Indra’s sons had been powerful and skilled, but nowhere near their father and they could never even hope to match their grandfather. Following them, the power-levels on both Uchiha and Senju side had began lowering into more humanly compereable levels.

Until the reincarnation cycle started. With each lifetime, Indra and Asura grew more and more powerful, holding onto their ideals stronger and stronger, yet each time, both fell for the same mistakes— and that mistake was what had allowed Zetsu to win.

The children thought, they knew how to play this game, but Zetsu was smarter. They may have been stronger, growing more powerful once more, as the years passed, but he was _smarter_. He shattered the proud, strong legacy of the Sennin and his brother, trough manipulation and skill.

Indra and Asura locked in eternal combat, their conflict and negative energies weakening the Jūbi’s seal with each passing century. Sarvastra’s kin turned into bloodthirsty individuals, barely better, than animals, their powers weakened so much, that they didn’t even have their Kekkei Genkai anymore. (Actually, there weren’t even more of Sarvastra’s descendants at all, after the mess in Kiri.) Mitra’s kin were numerous, but divided, weaker than ever, despite their numbers and their Byakugan.

Uchiha, Senju and Uzumaki were all gone, save for a scattered few, who knew nothing of their histories and could never even hope to compare themselves to Hashirama and Madara, much less the Sennin’s sons.

Zetsu grinned. Soon, soon the plan would be complete, the detestable seal would fall apart... and the one and only true goddess of this world would be free. Her power would bring peace into this tainted world — tainted by the spawns of the four children.

He stopped, when he sensed a bigger group of shinobi, all of them conversing heatedly. Carefully sneaking closer, he stopped, making sure they would not sense another presence near them.

”...stopped half the army...” a woman said, making exagerated gestures, her voice lowering again.

The man snorted next to her. “That’s it? Come now, haven’t you _seen_? That blonde... that was _Mokuton_! And he had the _Uzumaki chains!_ And he _sealed_ the Sanbi!”

“And that Uchiha.“ the third one injected. “Rumour has it he’s Clan-killer Itachi’s younger brother. The only other Uchiha alive. They say he created a skeleton out of chakra, to clamp it around the beast.”

The man shook his head. “Ain’t no skeleton. It grew, as if the gods were creating something resembling human, out of chakra. By the end, it was an armoured human, as big as the beast, with wings. It dissolved and clamped around the Turtle. The chains and the armour held it down, until the blonde sealed it...”

Having heard enough, Zetsu drew away. This was troubling. The Kyūbi Jinchūriki — he was the only blonde Uzumaki, that Zetsu knew of,— had the Mokuton _and_ the Chains. The two detestable abilities Asura’s descendants mainfested, strong enough not only to match the prowess of the Sharingan, but to subdue and seal one of the Nine.

If the blonde had it...

And purple chakra armour, looking human. That sounded like Susanno’o. But Itachi was sick— _too_ sick to form the fabled, ulitmate ability of the Sharigan. Besides, despite all his achievements, the former Uchiha Heir had neither the chakra, nor the skill and _sheer power_ , needed to mainfest one.

Itachi’s brother.... could the little pest have acquiered a Mangeykō somehow?

“You heard?!”

Zetsu stopped at the call, sneaking closer.

“They stopped Yagura and his faction. Terumi Mai takes power...” one said.

“...stopped the army...“

“... young, inexperienced Jōnin...”

“... son of the _Akai Shi_ and the other an Uchiha,”

Another one snorted. “The Uchiha’s fire was _white_! I doubt that’s normal. Inhuman, more like and...”

Zetsu felt like someone had tried to deliver a killing blow. White fire — there was only one individual, one Sharingan-user,to be precise, whom could ever utilise such fire. The man hadn’t just created it, he was the only one capable of using it, due to his unique chakra, that belonged to Ōtstutsuki descendants.

Only one man, had enough skill in Katon and special enough chakra — special in a way, his brother’s had been, yet special in a very different way— to form and control those White Flames. White Flames, that could only be outshone by _Amaterasu_ , in sheer destructiveness.

And that one man was a legend, forgotten by now — sure, he lived on in a way, but neither of the incarnates were ever capable of using the White Flames. That was the proof, of how powerful that man was.

That man. The one he had tried — and only partially suceeded— in using, to free the Jūbi from its prison.

And that man was none other, than _Ōtsutsuki Indra_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please tell me what you think. Thank you :D


	49. The Calm (part 1)

Sasuke sighed. He was still sleepy and a bit sluggish from chakra exhaustion, altough much better, than days before. Naruto was a miracle-worker, if it came to healing. Still, standing in front of the Council of the village was not something he had planned for today, but really... they should have expected something like this to happen.

Winning a war... almost the two of them, was bound to attract attention. If not that, then the rumours of him and his brother subduing Isobu. And the volume was growing in the room, minute by minute as different sugestions and gods know what else kept flying about in the room. He was starting to lose his patience. Especially with some of the civilians, who were unnecesarily loud.

So, _excuse him_ , if he happened to release some Killing Intent, from his seat. Since, standing in front of the Council was kind of figurative.

Both himself and Naruto were seated among the Clan Heads, in their respective seats. Itachi, despite coming back, had given up his title — Sasuke had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with the fact, that _he_ was Indra— and ditched it to him. Sasuke didn’t mind it... but at the same time, he would have liked to strangle Itachi for it. Now on the top of trying to prevent a world catastrphe, he had to play at politics too. As if Naruto playing at it hadn’t been enough. (The good thing was, that they’d managed to drag Kakashi into this, as the Head of the Hatake Clan.)

A while back, the Jōnin had been laughing at their expense, for having to deal with politics. As reven— khm, _fitting payback_ , they made sure Kakashi had to be present, as the Hatake Head, at every meeting. Kakashi kept sending them dirty glares ever since. (Mainly because having to sit in on council meetings, meant he could read his dity books even less, than usual.)

Everyone fell quiet and looked at him, some of the civilians rather uneasy, as they glanced at him.

“Perhaps something’s wrong, Sasuke?“ his sensei asked, arching a blonde eyebrow. She was hiding it well, but Sasuke knew that his sudden release of KI set her on edge, as it had others.

He arched an eyebrow back in silent challenge. Was she actually asking that? The whole council room was a mess and she was asking what the _hell_ was wrong? “Excuse me, Hokage-sama. I just slipped. All this shouting and tension sets me on edge. I’m not completely recovered yet.” he smiled, tone sufficiently sweet, yet chilling.

The room fell deathly quiet.

Sauske sighed inwardly. _‘Sweet silence.‘_

Naruto threw him an amused look, a grin hiding in the corner of his lips, just barely contained. Kakashi was throwing him a You-should-have-been-subtler look, but Sasuke ignored it. He was too irrate for political games at the moment.

“Perhaps it would have been a quieter affair, if you told us what happened in Kiri, instead of us having to piece things together for ourselves, _Uchiha-san_.“ Homura said in a chilly tone. Sasuke twitched inwardly at the blatant disrespect dripping from the Elder’s tone.

“The report has already been handed in to Hokage-sama.“ Naruto stated simply, violet eyes matching the Elder’s gaze.

“Still, perhaps a recounting would be needed.“ Koharu put in, “There are after all, rumours flying around about two fresh Tokubetsu Jōnin subduing a Bijū.”

“If they were simple _rumours_ ,“ Sasuke said darkly, “I would not have been in intense care and Naruto would be taking long shifts in the hospital, instead of taking short ones after days of missing out.”

“So you _really_ did it?“ Yamanaka Inochi asked, his eyes landing on him and Naruto. “Subdued the Sanbi?”

Sasuke gave a sardonic smile. “You’re speaking of it, like a miracle. As if there _hadn’t been_ people among mine and Otōto’s kin both, who were capable of it. I don’t think I need to recount history, correct, Inochi-dono?”

Inochi seemed taken aback. Either by his words or by the way he spoke them, he couldn’t decide. “N-no. Not needed.”

“ _Nī-sama_.“ Naruto hissed softly. Yet in the quiet of the room, it was like he was shouting. “I know you’re tired and sleep-deprived, but be _nice_.”

He huffed and scowled at his brother. Naruto didn’t even twtich, long used to his moods. It was Tsunade, probably sensing danger, if she didn’t inject something, who broke the tension. “Itachi stated he felt the faint presence of another on the site, where you dealt with the Sanbi.”

Sasuke groaned, giving Naruto a look. They’ll have to speak with Itachi about what to and what _not_ to tell the Council, even if Tsunade was in on the reincarnation business. “Indeed, Hokage-sama, there was one.” Sasuke confirmed reluctantly.

“Who was this shinobi?“ Koharu asked.

“We don’t know.“ Naruto said, completely convincingly. “We only know, that he wore the robes of Akatsuki. Altough I was preoccupied with fighting Yagura-san.”

“Did _you_ fight the stranger then, Sasuke?“ Tsunade asked.

Sasuke sighed. “I did. He’s powerful. I can understand, how he’d escaped so long ago. He’s tricky and as fast, as Minato-sama.”

Tsunade’s eyes narrowed. “You think it was the man, who released the Kyūbi over a decade ago?”

“I _know_ it was him.” Sasuke deadpanned, “The fucker admitted to it. And he said things, that overlapped with what I heard from Minato-sama, when the Kage were back, due to Edo Tensei.”

Deathly quiet fell over the room. “Then how have you escaped him?“ Homura asked, almost accusingly.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed on the old coot, but Naruto spoke up first. “Jinchūriki have a stage... in between, before full transformation, when they can’t really do anything. When that happened to Yagura, I knew I couldn’t interfere. If I had, the released energy could have broken my own seal.”

Sasuke almost snorted. That fucking seal was based off of the Jūbi’s, so no matter what, Kurama wouldn’t be going anywhere, useless Naruto wanted him to. But... no one knew _this_ and it seemed his little pranking brother was fooling everyone yet again.

“So in the meanwhile, I attacked the unknown man. Since he wasn’t expecting it, thinking I had my hands full, my jutsu hit him full force an tossed him against a tree. He left afterwards, after threathening to get the Fox. He expected myself and Sasuke to die dueling Yagura, which would have meant he has and easy way to get his filthy hands on both Sanbi _and_ Kyūbi, without anyone there to stop him.”

“And he just left like that? After going to such lenghts to ruin a country, to get close to its Kage?“ Aburame Shibi asked.

Naruto smirked. “You... have you ever dealt with the Uzumaki Kongō Fūsa, Aburame-dono?“

The bug-user nodded. “I did, courtesy of your mother. Quite the trouble.”

Naruto smiled. “The chakra used for the chains, can be channeled into some Uzumaki-only jutsu. Nin- and Fūinjutsu alike. I did just that. The heavy chakra, along with the crash broke his bones and probably weighted down his lungs. If he stayed to fight, the chakra remants and the possible internal bleeding, if not that, than the shock itself, would have at best, knocked him out. Killed him, in a worse case. Since the fucker had dealt with my parents about fourteen years ago, I would say he was aware of the dangers. He fled, rather than to get revealed and fail his plans.”

There was silence again.

“So we can agree, that the man is dangerous.“ Tsunade said, “And that he wants the Jinchūriki. We will have to be alert and...“

“I already warned them.“ Naruto cut in, “Well at least I warned Gaara and the Taki’s Jinchūriki. And now Yagura knows to be wary and careful. He promised to try getting in contact with the Rokubi’s host, altough the man had fled Kiri. That means four of us are ready, in a way. Five, if we’re lucky. The more ready we are, the less likely for the bastard to get his hands on the Jinchūriki.”

“And why not just... let them have the beasts?“ a civilan asked, “They’re all just trouble.”

“Are you _out of your mind_ , woman?“ Sasuke snarled, his Sharingan blazing, as he stood in his seat, glaring down at the poor, foolish soul. No one, _no one_ spoke about sacrificing his siblings, to a madman.

The woman seemed taken aback, fear showing on her face. Good, let her fear him — maybe then, she would never speak of sacrificing _his famiy_.

“Uchiha Madara used the Fox and the struggle between him and Shodaime-sama formed a **_freaking_** _valley._ The masked fucker killed half of Konoha’s shinobi, when he summoned the Fox and the two best shinobi of the village paid with their lives, to _protect_ the place. _Number one_ , their sacrfice would be in vain. _Number two_ , the Nine together could probably wipe all life from the freaking _planet_. _Number three_ , the extraction of a Bijū usually means the death of the Jinchūriki and _I’ll be damned_ , if I _let_ you fools _lay a hand on my_ **_brother_**.“ he snarled, gesturing at Naruto. “As long as the Nine are sealed, we’re _safe_. If the fucker _does_ somehow get the Nine, pray long and fast for the Rikudō Sennin to return from death, otherwise we are all _dead_.”

There was silence for a very long moment and the civilans were cowering. Even some of the shinobi seemed uncomfortable or just generally disturbed by the topic.

“Nī-sama, for the Rikudō’s sake.“ Naruto murmured, “Calm down.”

Sasuke scowled. “Calm down? Naruto, did you hear what she just _said_?”

Naruto sighed. “No one’s deaf here, Nī-sama, altough some _are_ fools.“ he threw a sharp glare at the woman. “And for _the Shinju’s sake_ , you’re not yet recovered. Hold back your Killing Intent or I swear, I’m putting a Chakra Supression Seal on you and I’ll get Shirotsuno to keep you home.”

Sasuke scowled. “You wouldn’t _dare_ Otōto.“

Naruto snorted. “ _Try me_. For all I love and respect you, you’re way too reckless. You know I’m doing it, if you force me to.”

Sauske’s eyes narrowed and he slowly sat down. Naruto just arched an eyebrow and Sasuke twitched. No. Not _that_ look again...! He scowled at Naruto and looked away.

* * *

Tsunade sat in the seat of the Hokage and watched the whole thing amused. Ever since the boys had stepped into the Council room, their archaic, formal speech seemed to have become even more noticable, even despite the fact, that Sasuke obviously wanted to be anywhere else, but here. And the way they’d recounted the encounter with the man... measured tone, yet full of contempt.

She thought she might break down laughing, when she saw the Council’s faces, as Naruto said he’d already warned his fellow Jinchūriki. The final nail in the coffin was Sasuke’s outburst.

She knew she should have reprimanded him for his behaviour, but the annoying little civilan pest was badmouthing the last of her family. And Sasuke did, what she, as Hokage — having to maintain an image and a certain neutrality,— couldn’t.

But really, she had a feeling it wasn’t the outburst, or Sasuke’s shocking enough speech was the thing, that rendered the Council speechless. Her assumptions were proven correct, as Koharu turned to look at her.

“Have perhaps Tobirama-sensei and Hashirama-sama been teaching those two the old etiquette? Gods know I’ve never heard young shinobi — children— speak like that. Perhaps Tobirama-sensei and the generations before him, but not _children_.”

Tsunade shook her head at her granduncle’s former student. “They always spoke like that — so... archaically. Go, ask Kakashi. He’s been saddled with the two from the beggining — he’ll tell you this much.”

“Children don’t speak like _that_.” Homura muttered, throwing a look towards Naruto and Sasuke.

“They _aren’t_ children.“ Tsunade injected, trying her best not to laugh. The disbelieving expression on the old coots’ faces, were the best. Better, than any saké she ever tasted.

“You _know_ what he _means_ , Tsunade.“ Koharu hissed.

Tsunade just shrugged. “It’s just how they are. It’s for sure, that _some people_ could learn manners from them.“

* * *

Naruto tried his best to appear aloof, as Kakashi finished their little tale about the happenings in Kiri to the council. Well, the part where Kakashi and the others were involved, that is.

“Y-you subdued the Sanbi no Ishigame?“ choked the Yamanaka Clan Head, obviously still in denial, that him or Sasuke could be capable of such a feat.

He flashed an innocent grin at the man. “I used a weaker version of Otō-san’s seal. To be precise, he used a double _Shisō Fūin_ (Four Symbol Seal) formation to contain the Fox, reinforced by the _Shiki Fūjin_ ’s (Dead Demon Consuming Seal) after-effect, due to the Shinigami’s involvement. I used a _Shisō Fūin_ , combined with a _Mikadzuki Fūin_ (Crescent Seal), which creates the six points of Kyōka...”

“Naruto?“ Tsunade called.

Naruto stopped, looking at her. “Yes?“

The Hokage sighed. “Drop the technical ramble. Half of what you’ll say we won’t understand. Gods know I could _never_ follow what Minato was saying and both Obā-san and Oji-san were Seal Masters. Just... drop it. You can tell Jiraiya. I’m sure he can follow, because **_I_** can’t.“ she huffed, “Was that an Uzumaki Seal I would find in our Clan library, if I went looking for it?”

He grinned with a nod. “Yeah. A high A-rank one, I think.”

Tsunade choked. “I’d rather _not_ ask the chakra cost of that one.“she murmured. “I’m surprised you two are even _alive_!”

Naruto hummed. “If I didn’t have the Fox for a backup, I would have passed out already, since I gave most of my chakra to Sasuke, so he could stop the Sanbi from rampaging. So...”

“Okay, we understand.“ Tsunade sighed. “Is that thing failsafe?”

Naruto hummed. “Sure. I was kinda mean... and added a _Chakra Conversion Seal_ to the array, which prurifies and recilculates....”

“ _Simply_ , Naruto.“ Tsunade cut in.

Naruto rolled his eyes. “Every Jinchūriki has some of their Bijū’s chakra in their body, no matter what sort of seal is used. I used that little chakra, that Yagura has, to reiforce the seal. So it’s kind of... the more it leaks, until a certain percent — let’s say five percent— the stronger the seal holds. So the Seal holds and then starts to weaken and about two percent of the chakra leaks out. It gets cleaned by the added layer and helps Yagura’s own body to clamp down on the Bijū even harder. And that works if six or seven percent gets out... I could go on, for a while. Of course, there is a certain percent of chakra, that would be too much and the seal simply _cracks_... but I’m not going into detail on that. I promised Yagura I’m the only one, who has the key and knows the full workings of his seal, for his own safety and I intend to keep that promise.”

There was a pause.

“Have you ever been called a genius, Naruto-san?“ Aburame Shibi asked. “Becuase it’s certainly a solution worthy of a genius. Just like Minato.”

Naruto laughed loudly throwing his head back. He’d been called many things in life — in this one and in the first one as well. Genius was not one of them. That was _Indra’s_ title. “I was called numerous things in my short almost-fourteen years of life, Shibi-dono, but _never_ , ever had anyone bothered to call me a _genius_.”

“Begs the question why.“ Inochi said, “You’re certainly one.”

“I _keep_ telling him and he doesn’t believe me.“ Sasuke injected.

Naruto scowled and rolled his eyes. “Don’t be _ridiculous_ , Nī-sama, _you_ ’re the genius in the family, _not_ _me_.”

Sasuke just rolled his eyes and whacked him lightly in the back of the head. “Learn to take a compliment, for the Rikudō’s sake.”

Naruto could feel the entire coucil room’s gazes on them, but he could care less. The village had years to get used to how him and Sasuke were. If they still weren’t used to it, well that wasn’t his or Sasuke’s fault at all.

* * *

Kakashi bit his lip, as he stared at the _shikki_ in front of him.

Since Tsunade-sama had forbidden any chakra use for the boys, just for a few days, until complete recovery, the training shifted. Sasuke went on to teach Itachi advanced Genjutsu theory, while the Uchiha Prodigy (could he even call Itachi _that_ , when comparing him to _Sasuke_?) showed a few Shurikenjutsu tricks to his brother and Kakashi had seen them both draw blades as well.

So, while Sasuke was teaching Itachi Genjutsu and weaponry tricks, he had gone on to ask Naruto for some Fūinjutsu training. Fūinjutsu was a hell of a useful thing, if one could use it. He knew more, than most people his generation — or even some older shinobi—, being the student of one Namikaze Minato and the almost-son of the Uzumaki Heiress. So, he knew a lot more, than most people, but his knowledge was ridiculously basic, if it came to what Naruto was capable of. (Sealing a Bijū, even if just reinforcing an already existing seal, was no small feat.)

Naruto had readily agreed, so here they were, sitting on the lawn of the plateu behind the Hokage Monument and he was holding a sealing brush, staring at the shikki.

“How does this _work_?“ he whined softly, feeling lost. They may have called him a genius, but this was a bit too much.

Naruto chuckled and bent over the paper from the other side. “See that spiral there?“

Kakashi nodded. “Yes.”

“That’s the center of the seal. The thing, that holds it together.“ Naruto’s finger glowed with chakra and he started drawing into the air, just a bit above the paper. It left a glowing trail of blue for a minute or so, before dissolving.

“Okay.“

“So, when you draw a seal like this, you link everything to this one, with that symbol.“ he drew a small symbol, which resembled a hook, “That will link the different layers into a complete _shikki_. This, just like every other jutsu, is a lot about intention. However, in normal jutsu you expel chakra directly and the intent will be known trough the move —attack, defence, diversion. Whatever you wish. Here, you learn to write that intention, because what is written lasts longer —it’s stronger in a way.”

“Ah, I see.”

“So, first, you draw the different layers seperately.“ Naruto placed a clean sheet in front of him. “Draw them seperately. I want to see each one. And careful. One bad move and the actual seal...”

“...might blow up or worse.” Kakashi said, as he turned his eye onto the paper, dipping the brush into the ink, before starting to work.

Some of his former collegues and aquantices would call this embarassing — to learn things from the boy(s), who had once been his students. But Kakashi thought differently. It was an opportunity. It was proven — to the shock of many,— that Naruto was more talented with Fūinjutsu, than it had first seemed. The only reason the Council had denied him the Seal Master title, was the lack of experience, altough Kakashi had a feeling, that it might not be a problem for long.

“No, wait.” Naruto called, violet eyes narrowed.

Kakashi stopped, rising his brush from the paper. “What is it?“

The blonde made a gesture, pointing out symbols on his sheet. “See that? _That_ is the symbol for _containment_. The symbol you used is _release_. You can’t switch up the positions, because the seal won’t work or in worse case, will start working in the opposite direction, which could be deadly.” Naruto explained, pointing out the mistakes he made, correcting them in the air, redrawing the symbols with chakra, so he would see the difference, before it vanished.

There was barely a dot difference between the symbols...

Kakashi groaned, throwing his head back with an annoyed shout. “Why is Fūinjutsu so _complex_?!”

In the distance, a flock of frightened birds took flight. Across from him, Naruto chuckled good-naturedly. The only reason why Kakashi resisted the urge to strangle the blonde, was because he didn’t want to meet a pissed off Rikudō Sennin in the afterlife.

* * *

“But you shouldn’t be able to do _that_.“ Itachi murmured disbelievingly, making a strangely exagerated gesture. “That’s why Genjutsu is Genjutsu. You don’t materialise _things_.”

Sauske huffed. Why was it so hard for Itachi to grasp, that the way chakra was used today, was just the tip of the iceberg? “You _don’t_ materialise them, Onī-san. Channeling your chakra the way I explained, only makes the Genjutsu a bit more durable. More life-like. To materialise it, you would need Yang Release. Or to be precise, perfectly balanced Yin and Yang. But that is not something you or I can do.”

Itachi titled his head curiously. “Why not?”

Sasuke blinked owlishly. Did Itachi not grasp, what he had just suggested? “You really don’t get it, do you?“ he asked disbelievingly.

“Get _what_?” Itachi asked, a flash of irritation appearing in his black eyes.

Sasuke took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Onī-san... what you were just suggesting is what made Otō-sama famed as a god. That, what you just suggested is in fact, the basis behind the _Banbutsu Sōzō no Jutsu_.“ (Creation of All Things Technique)

Itachi choked. “W- _what_?”

Sasuke chuckled, mirth dancing behind his black orbs. “So, please try _not_ to dable with that part of the theory. We don’t want to upset nature’s balance. So, back to Genjutsu. Inton is in fact, the power of one’s mind and spirit, therefore...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please tell me what you think :3


	50. The Calm (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of training and family time sprinkled with some Ninshū lessons...

Now fully recovered from the _Sanbi Incident_ , as they came to call it, Sasuke stood in the thick, misty greenery of Obake Mori, Itachi right next to him. His brother’s gaze swept the area, curious and wary at the same time.

“Relax, ‘tachi. This is the realm of Summons. We’re safe here.” he said softly.

Itachi nodded, giving him a curious look. “You have Summons?” Sasuke gave him a deadpan look and Itachi rolled his eyes. “I mean, since _when_? And what Clan?”

Before Sasuke could answer, Kagetsume appeared. The sudden appearance of the massive wolf, caused Itachi to tense up, but as his partner remained on his spot, instead of pouncing, his brother relaxed somewhat. Kagetsume gave a curious, cursory glance at Itachi, before dipping his head in greeting.

 **“Indra-sama.”** he greeted.

Itachi blinked and raised an eyebrow at him. Sasuke flashed a smirk, before turning to the wolf. “Kagetume.”

**“May I ask why you brought a stranger to our forest?“**

“Calm down, old friend. Itachi’s my brother.“ he explained. The wolf tilted his head to the side in slight curiousty and Sasuke rolled his eyes inwardly, “In _this_ life. You know, _genetically_.”

**“I thought, yourself and Asura were the last of your kin?”**

Sasuke shook his head. “No. Itachi _and_ I. And Otōto has an Aunt — Senju Tsunade. You might have heard of her from the Toads. A Slug summoner and the granddaughter of Asura’s previous incarnate, Senju Hashirama. Oh and Karin. She is the daughter of an Uzumaki woman, who escaped the Fall of Uzushio.”

 **“I... see.“** Kagetsume threw Itachi a look. **“Why bring him here, though? You usually train in the village?”**

Sasuke’s lips twitched into a faint, amused smirk. “Yes, but I can’t bring up a Complete Body Susanno’o in the middle of the village, _now can I?”_

* * *

Sasuke stood a few feet away, watching as Itachi’s chakra blazed and slowly, the blue changed. It turned deep red and the ribcage of the Susanno’o appeared, the soft breeze, that came with the chakra release, ruffling their clothes and hair.

“Yes, that’s it.“ he smiled. “Come on, flare your chakra a bit and build it up.”

Itachi’s chakra flared a bit more, his Mangakyō spinning. Sasuke saw the bloody tears slip down his brother’s face and he winced inwardly at the pain, Itachi might be feeling. Sure, they would be switching eyes soon, but he wanted Itachi to get a feel of the Mangekyō’s power, before the eyes’ full, _unlimited_ potential fell into his hands.

Not to mention, that his eyes were special, due to the lingering, ancient Ōtsutsuki chakra, which Itachi would get a drop of, after transplantation.

Slowly, the upper skeletal version formed, with glowing yellow eyes Of course, as his eyes fell on the construct... “No, ‘cmon, ‘tachi. _No_. Keep your chakra calm and focused. You have to do it the way I showed you the wind trick.”

Itachi grunted and the Susanno’o fell apart. As his brother fell, Sasuke was right next to him, catching him before he fell. He let Itachi lean on him, before he gently sat them both on the grass. “So heavy.“ Itachi murmured.

Sasuke sighed. “Yes. Unmastered, it’s heavy. Once you master it, it won’t even have a weight at all. Of course, it needs more chakra, than any other jutsu, so we’ll need to build up your reserves too. But at the moment, you have enough for an incomplete one.”

“And it didn’t work.”

“I didn’t.“ Sasuke agreed. “You have to keep a steady flow of chakra into your Sharingan while circulating the rest of your chakra at a steady pace around your body. That links you to the armour, so when you move an arm, the Susanno’o moves, too. Later, when properly mastered, you won’t even have to twitch, while sitting on the top of the armour, cause the chakra flow alone, will be enough to move it.”

Itachi huffed. “You make it sound so _easy_. I mean... it _seemed so easy_ , when _you_ did it.”

Sasuke chuckled. “Onī-san, I was considered a prodigy, by _Ōtsutsuki_ standards and my chakra was stronger, back then, than any other Uchihas’ these days. With how powerful it was, today’s shinobi would have called me an Uzumaki.”

His brother chuckled, amused. “Some of the Kiri shinobi _did_ think you were one, when your flared your chakra for your special flames.”

He smirked. “Ah, yes. The activation of that would make it look like that.”

Itachi’s eyes drifted shut for a bit and Sasuke carefully wiped away the bloody tears. “Gomen. I know, that it hurts. But... if we switch eyes, the power will grow even more and I fear you wouldn’t know hoe to handle it, even with my help. You need to learn it or at least, taste it a bit now.”

“It’s not as bad as it looks, Otōto. It stings and it made me feel a bit light-headed, but I think it’s okay.”

Sasuke sighed, reassured. “Fine. But it’s a strain on the body, so you’ve to tell me, if any of the sympthomps get worse, than they are now.”

“I will.”

Sasuke hummed, satisfied, before standing up. Itachi stood with him. “I think, we should make it easier on you. First form the ribs solidly. While sitting. If you can stand up with the ribcage around you, then you may try forming the upper skeleton again.“

Itachi nodded. “Alright.”

“And remember. Chakra is the balance between man and nature. This means, that as long as you can properly sense everything around you, you’re balanced, which makes your chakra flow smoothly. A smooth chakra flow makes it easier to form and maintain Susanno’o.”

Itach nodded and took a deep breath, his eyes drifting shut again. Sasuke stood up, backing away.

The chakra around his brother rose and as he opened his eyes, the intricate pattern of the Mangekyō stared back at him. “Susanno’o is the physical form of our will and Yin chakra. Still, despite that, you have to remember to keep the balance.”

The red sheen of energy appeared again and within seconds, it formed into the massive, familiar ribcage. Sasuke watched, chewing his lower lip in worry. Gods, he hoped Itachi would manage and that he wouldn’t regret teaching some basics to his brother, before their eyes got switched...

And then, slowly, but surely, Itachi stood up and the ribcage remained steady, pulsing with energy. A small proud smile made its way to his lips. “And now, the second step. _Slowly_...”

* * *

Naruto chuckled at the irrate look on Karin’s face. It made her look cute. Since Sasuke was off, teaching Itachi how to use Susanno’o, Naruto had decided to spend some much needed Clan-time with Karin.

He had come to know, that his fellow Uzumaki used chakra chains, like he did, however, they were weak — a sort of incomplete “shadow” of the true _Kongō Fūsa_. So, he decided to teach her the real one. Back during the picnic he didn’t want to correct her. The chains were a _Hiden_ of the Uzumaki and that was, what it should stay.

“First, let me have a look at the seal, which allows you to form them.“ he said. Karin blushed a bright red, but then, she took off her top and turned to show her back.

Naruto hummed, eyes narrowed on the wide, circular pattern, that resembled the links of a chain. It was mostly fine...

“Oh, there’s some slip up in the _shikki_.“ he said, surprised. It was strange, for an Uzumaki to mess up such a seal. This seal, this jutsu was what made the Clan stand out among the others, after all... “It’s not a big one, so I can correct it, if you like. Then, I can help you train with them, so you can form the proper version, which you’ve seen from me. Altough, the correction is significant in the fact, that the proper form of the Chains will put a bit more strain on your physical endurance. Altough, that can be trained and overcome. After all, the more you use them, the more your body gets used to it.” he offered softly.

Karin’s gaze found his and her red eyes were wide. “You could do that? You _would_ do it?“

Naruto chuckled, already reaching for his sealing brush and ink, which rested on his utility belt. “Of course, Karin-chan. I would not have offered otherwise.”

Karin nodded, her eyes shining. “Please, then. And I’m not one to shy away from some training. I want to be a good kunoichi.”

He nodded and set his things ready to correct her seal.

After careful preparations, he asked her to sit down. Then he removed her seal and redrew it — of course, he could have added a correcting layer over the present seal, but since it was their Hiden, he felt that it deserved a proper seal.

Uzumaki were known for red hair, seals and chains. She should have the proper seal. After about half an hour, it was done and he smiled in satisfaction. “I’ll have to activate it and from than on, the seal will take effect on your will.”

“Okay.”

He did the single Hand Seal, before placing his fingers on the array. **“Uzumaki Hiden Fūin: Kasei-ka!”** (Uzumaki Secret Tradition Seal: Activate) The ink lit up with faint blue light and Karin hissed a bit. Then, a few seconds later, the glow was gone and Naruto took his hand away. “Done.”

“Arigato.” she murmured, quickly pulling up her shirt. She only turned to face him, when her clothes were properly fixed.

He smiled and gestured at the sealing equipment. “A little bit of training?”

“Bring it.” she grinned.

* * *

When Sasuke opened his eyes, the first thing he was, was the massive clearing, that made up Kurama’s seal. Then, he watched it change, reaching into different seals. Gaara and Shukaku stood to his right. Yagura and Isobu stood opposite them, while Fū and Chōmei were to the left. Kurama was lazing around behind them.

“Hello, everyone.” Naruto greeted with a small wave. Sasuke nodded to his siblings, with a small smile.

 **“Asura-kun, Indra.“** the Bijū greeted, obviously glad to see them.

“Huh? Who are you two?“ Fū asked, glacing at Yagura and Gaara in confusion.

Sasuke chuckled. “Think it’s introduction time.“

Gaara hummed and waved to Fū and Yagura. “Subakku no Gaara, native of Suna. Shukaku’s my partner.” he said, gesturing at the tanuki.

Fū waved enthusiastically. “Hi. I’m Fū from Taki. An... orphan, but I still have people I care about, so it’s okay.“ she grinned at him and Naruto, “And this is my partner, Chōmei.”

Yagura nodded, a small smile on his lips. “Pleasure to meet you. My name is Karatachi Yagura and this is Isobu.”

“Karatachi _Yagura_?“ Gaara asked, arching an eyebrow. “As in the Yondaime Mizukage?”

Fū’s eyes went wide at those words. Her lips parted in shock, as the Kiri shinobi nodded. “Yes. Well, technically, former Mizukage. I gave my position to Terumi Mei — but we’re working together anyway, to restore Kiri.”

“Mizukage.“ she murmured. “And you’re a _Jinchūriki_?”

“All of us are somehow related to the Kage, or someone in position of power, Fū.“ Gaara said, “My father’s the Yondaime Kazekage. I’m sure Yagura had someone in the upper class, before he himself became the Mizukage. And Naruto... well, he’s the prime example, with _four_ out of the five Hokage being his relatives — past and present.”

Naruto chuckled at that. “Yeah, true. But... we’re here for a reason, guys.”

“Which is?“ Fū asked, rising an eyebrow, trying to do her best, to shake her shock away.

Sasuke sat down, knowing this would be a long night. He carefully leaned his back against Kurama and when his kitsune brother didn’t protest, he leaned into him just a bit more for comfort. Now that he stopped to consider the Bijū his siblings, the way the Nine hadn’t been in his past life, it was easy to act like family with them. Just as easy, as it was with Naruto —surprisingly, interacting with Kurama came the easiest, but it was probably because it was Kurama, who was constantly present.

“There is a masked man.“ Sasuke said, his hands absently brushing Kurama’s burnt orange fur, “The man, who subjugated Kurama more than a decade ago and his actions resulted in the death of Naruto’s parents and him becoming the next Jinchūriki. But I’m sure Otōto already mentioned that.”

“He did, indeed.“ Gaara said.

“We’re here, because we want to help you.“ Naruto said, as he settled next to him. Wordlessly, Kurama pulled a tail closer to cover them, not that a mindspace could be cold, but it was comfortable, so he wasn’t about to complain. “Help you train, to become better and stronger. To be prepared, if that man and his lackeys turn up at the village gates, trying to get our siblings from you. Right now, you are their defences against that man.”

“Help us? Like train? For _real?”_ Fū asked, her orange eyes glinting with curiousty and excitement.

Sasuke chuckled. “Yes. We can help with general skills as well as helping you handle more of your Bijū powers, that is if you don’t mind, Nī-sama, Nē-sama.” he said, his Sharingan flickering to the three Bijū

 **“As long as it keeps us all safe, I don’t mind.”** Chōmei said, after a moment.

 **“I don’t mind either. We had worked together with Yagura before.“** Isobu added, **“But I’m sure you two could teach him things.”**

 **“And you know _my_ answer already.“** Shukaku injected.

Naruto grinned widely, his positive emotions and powerful chakra lighting up the connected mindspaces, like the sun. Sasuke hummed and scooted closer. He almost forgot, how magnetic Naruto’s chakra could be, so heavily laced with Mokuton.

Shukaku snickered at his actions, but a sharp Sharingan glare made sure the tanuki remained quiet. Naruto didn’t say a word, just shifted closer, so their sides were pressed against one another.

“So, the first and most important thing you must know...“ his brother started, “is that Ninshū is nothing like today’s Ninjutsu. It is all about intention, yes, just like today’s jutsu. But those are usually positive intentions, harmony and feelings, like love and protectiveness projected trough chakra. One of the main concepts that Otō-sama laid down, was the connection between man and nature and trough that connection...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments are my life force :)


	51. Interlude II: Bingo Book

**_Bingo Book Entry_ ** **_#65_ **

_Year XX13_

**_Name:_ ** _Uchiha Sasuke_

 **_Moniker:_ ** _Sharingan no Sasuke, Shiroi Honō no Sasuke, Tsuki no Uraishi_

 **_Kekkei Genkai:_ ** _Sharingan/ Mangekyō Sharingan_

 **_Special Abilities:_ ** _uses White Fire_

 **_Field of Expertise:_ ** _Ninjutsu, Kenjutsu, Genjutsu_

 **_Rank:_ ** _mid/high A_

 **_Family:_ ** _Uchiha Mikoto (mother)_

_Uchiha Fugaku (father)_

_Uchiha Itachi (older brother)_

_Senju-Uzumaki Naruto (sworn brother)_

**_Classification:_ ** _Sensor Type_

 **_Orders:_ ** _A-rank shinobi approach with caution, lower rank flee on sight (lone A-rank flee as well, if seen with Senju-Uzumaki Naruto)_

_**Extra Info:** formerly trained by Sharingan no Kakashi and Namekuji-hime Tsunade_

* * *

**_Bingo Book Entry_ ** **_#66_ **

_Year XX13_

**_Name:_ ** _Senju-Uzumaki Naruto_

 **_Moniker:_ ** _Mokuton no Naruto, Ōgonshoku Kusari no Naruto, Taiyō Yogen-sha_

 **_Kekkei Genkai:_ ** _Mokuton_

 **_Special Abilities:_ ** _Uzumaki Adamantine Chains_

 **_Field of Expertise:_ ** _Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Fūinjutsu_

 **_Rank:_ ** _mid/high A_

 **_Family:_ ** _Uzumaki Kushina (mother)_

_Senju-Namikaze Minato (father)_

_Senju Tsunade (cousin/aunt)_

_Senju Tobirama (great-grandfather)_

_Senju Hashirama (great-granduncle)_

_Uzumaki-Senju Mito (great-grandaunt)_

_Uchiha Sasuke (sworn brother)_

**_Classification:_ ** _Sensor Type_

_Jinchūriki (Kyūbi)_

**_Orders:_ ** _A-rank shinobi approach with caution, lower rank flee on sight (lone A-rank flee as well, if seen with Uchiha Sasuke)_

_**Extra Info:** formerly trained by Sharingan no Kakashi and Namekuji-hime Tsunade_

* * *

_**Konoha, Hokage Office:** _

Tsunade stared at the newest Bingo Book, as if she’d never seen such a thing. Actually, she was staring at two pages, right next to each other. Pages dedicated to her students.

_Naruto and Sasuke._

After the mess in Kiri the two had been prompted to Jōnin, after a formal report on the happenings had been handed in. Altough, if that hadn’t been enough, then just a few hours before announcing the boys’ new rank, a letter came from the newly instated Godaime Mizukage, Terumi Mei, who gave her own account of what happened on the field and suggested Naruto and Sasuke’s promotion.

It wasn’t every day, that a foreign Kage wrote a letter, just to suggest the promotion of shinobi, who she had barely met.

_And now, Naruto and Sasuke had their very own pages in the **freaking** Bingo Book!_

They were probably the youngest-ever shinobi to be put into the Bingo Book and with a freaking _A-rank,_ on top of it! Of course she knew what — or rather, _who_ — her students were, but it didn’t make things any easier to digest. It seemed, the boys would leave the likes of her gandfather and Madara in the dust. Her great-uncle and grandfather would just be small notes on the pages of history, while “Indra“, “Asura“, “Sasuke“ and “Naruto“ would be scrawled onto said pages with the biggest, fanciest Kanji possible.

It was a shocking revelation. No, a _shocking realisation._

Slowly, ever so slowly, Tsunade pushed the Bing Book away and took a large swing of her saké. And it was only nine in the moring...

* * *

**_Kumo, Raikage Office:_ **

Yondaime Raikage Ay was staring at the newest Bingo Book with shock. He had heard rumours of course, that two newly-minted, inexperienced Konoha Jōnin had subdued the rampaging Sanbi in Kiri, but... he thought the rumours somewhat exaggerated.

He knew how hard it was to deal with a Bijū — two wet behind the ears Jōnin could not have subdued one of the Nine. It was just impossible. Or so, he’d thought.

Now, looking at the Bingo Book, he had to reevaluate those thoughts. On the top of it, the two young Jōnin carried names, that were pretty strong, even with the Clans now mostly gone.

_Senju (Namikaze), Uzumaki, Uchiha._

Names of the oldest, greatest Clans. The names of Founders, heroes and battle-monsters.

(He still remembered that bloody war with the Uzumaki. Their village had been wiped out, but in exchange, that clan of monsters had crippled the forces of the three attacking villages. The memory sent a cold shiver down his spine.) On the top of it all, the Uzumaki spawn was apperently the Kyūbi Jinchūriki as well.

Why had the freaking Yondaime married a kami-damn Uzumaki?! Couldn’t he have found another woman?!

Ay took a breath to calm himself and pressed the mic on his desk. “Raikage-sama?” his secretary called.

“Call me Nii Yugito and Bee. Right now.” he ordered.

Kami protect them, if those two monsters could subdue Bijū.... Ay shivered.

* * *

_**Suna, Kazekage Office:** _

Gaara sighed, as he set aside another pile of papers. He wasn’t officially Kazekage yet — it was just the question of weeks now, before he _was_ — but the work was already piling up.

 _‘Why me?‘_ he asked softly, inwardly gazing at his partner. _‘Why does it have to be me, Shukaku?‘_

 **“I suppose, that’s what you get for being so strong. And for being born into the right family. A bit like Asura’s situation, when Otō-sama chose him, as the Heir of Ninshū. And much like you, he didn’t ask for it either... but perhaps that’s what made him fit for the position of leadership.”** the tanuki mused.

Before he could answer, the door of the office opened and Temari sauntered in, a cup of tea in her hand, idly flipping trough the most recent Bingo Book. Gaara glared at her, for disturbing his work, but she was too absorbed in her reading to notice. The redhead rolled his eyes and turned back to his work.

He could never understand his sister’s odd habit of reading Bingo Books for fun. Sure, they contained useful information about many strong shinobi, but... he would never made Bingo Book reading a hobby. His sister was odd like that, sometimes.

He just set aside another paper, when Temari spit out her tea — thank Shukaku for the quick reaction and pulling sand over the pile of papers, to protect them from the liquid flying around,— her green eyes going wide. She coughed, her face as white as the snows of Yuki no Kuni, if the stories he’d heard were accurate.

“What now, Temari?“ he asked, a bit irrate. She barged in and disturbed him in his work and now she even made a mess in the office. Just _wonderful_.

Pale as a ghost, Temari placed the Bingo Book on his — formerly their father’s— desk. “Read _that_.” she choked, gesturing at the pages.

His pale green eyes skidded over the pages and he chuckled softly. Inside, Shukaku was laughing too. **“It seems my Otōto were busy these past few weeks.”**

Gaara chuckled. _‘So it seems, Shukaku. So it seems.‘_

Perhaps all this Bingo Book thing was the result of what his brothers had been doing in Kiri? He would have to ask them the next time they met, via mindscape...

* * *

_**Iwa, Tsushikage Office:** _

Ōnoki stared at the Bingo Book and he felt shivers run down his spine. An Uzumaki-Senju and an Uchiha, equals in strenght, working together... and subduing a Bijū.

It was all too much like Madara and Hashirama, back when he had been young... save perhaps for the small thing, that if the rumours — and the Bingo Book— were to be believed, this Senju and Uchiha had nothing against one another. _At all_.

Not a hair out of place. Those two were like brothers, perhaps more, than Madara and Hashirama had ever been.

And on the top of it, the blonde meneace was the _Kiroii no Senkō_ ’s son. And an Uzumaki... with both the Chains and Mokuton.

His mind was warring with itself. A part of him roared bloody murderer on the two young, way too talented Konoha Jōnin. Another part of him wanted to _run and hide_ , because goddamn it, the blonde was _freaking_ Namikaze Minato’s spawn, equipped with the _bloody_ Uzumaki chains and probably their unholy stamina and chakra. And the Mokuton.

On the top of it, the violet-eyed devil was the Kyūbi Jinchūriki, if the data were correct.

And had an Uchiha for sworn brother, who was if rumours were anything to go by, capable of using Susanno’o and subduing a Bijū.

Ōnoki gluped. Those two were the freaking reincarnations of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama... just much, _much_ worse...

 _‘I’m too old for this shit!‘_ (A secluded, somewhat rational part of his mind whispered, that he would have to tell Kurotsushi _to damn her pride and **run** ,_ if she ever saw those two... or even one of them.)

* * *

_**Sangaku no Hakaba:** _

Obito’s single eye was wide, as he stared at the Bingo Book, which Zetsu has picked out of some sorry fool’s hand, without the fucker even realising. He was recovering well from that disastorous fight, but that didn’t mean he was in a good mood.

And now, the Bingo Book in his hand was even more mood-ruining, if such thing was possible.

How the freaking hell did that blonde brat and his supposedly talentless cousin, get an A-rank and flee-on-sight order on their heads?! Was the world coming to an end, even before the possible completion of Project Tsuki no Me?

It was totally abnormal for kids their age to be in the Bingo Book with a _freaking_ flee-on-sight order!

He groaned, pulling at his hair. It wasn’t possible —he refused to believe it. Itachi may have been a prodigy and Minato-sensei and Kushina-san may have been feared, S-rank shinobi, but **_this_** _was just too much..._

Slowly, he raised his gaze from the white pages and peered at Zetsu. “Are you sure this information is accurate?”

“Yes.“ Zetsu answered, without hesitation, “From what I’ve gathered, this Bingo Book was taken from one of the **hunter offices in Mizu no Kuni, a few days ago. Freshly updated.”**

Obito’s gaze flickered down onto the page. “I’ll _flay Itachi alive_ , for saying that his brother was a talentless, arrogant little shit.” he grunted.

 _‘Fuck my life. Will I need Madara-sama back here, in his prime sooner, than originally planned?‘_ he thought in worry.

* * *

_**Konoha, Hokage Office:** _

Naruto and Sasuke stared at the Bingo Book Tsunade had shoved into their hands, the moment they arrived in her office. A bit taken aback, they blinked down at the small booklet’s open pages and as they read it, their eyebrows went higher and higher, until they reached the hairline.

Then, the two brothers blinked at each other. “When did Kiri have the time to update Bingo Books?“ Sasuke asked, “They’re supposed to be dealing with the political mess...”

Naruto glanced down at the pages again. “I’m more curious about who told the people about my old moniker. Utataka-san or perhaps Yagura? And why?”

There was a loud _thud_.

The boys perked up at the sound and found Tsunade face first agaisnt the antique oak desk. “Oba-san?“ Naruto asked tentatively. The emotions in the room were ready to blast and he wasn’t sure _why_.

“You... you two are the _youngest_ shinobi to get into the Bingo Book with _an A-rank_ and you’re concerned about what _moniker_ you got?!” she fumed, eye twitching.

The boys shared a look and Naruto’s eyebrow arched upwards. “Uh... yes?”

Tsunade groaned and her forehead hit the table again. “Kami damn it.“ she murmured, “I need an entire _barrel_ of saké.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit short... but MEH! I´m sleepy. As always, tell me what you think.


	52. So It Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a little movie content, on the specific request of a reader. Of course, everything is HEAVILY altered, to fit this AU... so... yeah.  
> Hope you´ll like it and that it´ll make sense. :3

**Act II: _VORTEX_**

_**On the sea:** _

The man looked out the ship’s window, studying the glinting blue water, which the ship was cutting trough, like knife trough butter. His gaze flickered to the other, that stood to his left. “Is everything ready?“

The other nodded. “Hai.”

He shifted slightly, the sunlight reflecting off his white hair. “Then steer the fortress. Konoha’s days are numbered... and we will _rise_.“

* * *

_**Konoha:** _

Training ground Fourty was all smoke and ruins. The ground cracked open, several punctures in it, where it could be seen, that volatile electricity has torn it up. Other fissures bore slight resemblance to fists. The ground was charred, yet there were pools of water, that made the whole place slippery with mud. In other parts, the mud was harderned into clay and there were roots and branches standing out from the ground at odd places and in odd angles. There were some trees, originally surrounding the training ground, that were also uptooted or their bark split.

In short, the whole place was completely destroyed — courtesy of two restless Ōtsutsuki incarnates.

Naruto grinned, as he leapt at his brother, shakujō in hand. After several weeks of waiting, their specific orders had finally been delivered by Tenten a few days ago and now they’d found time to test their new weapons. He swung his weapon, the six rings jingling softly at the rapid movement. Sasuke’s Sharingan flashed and he shifted his own, so that the crescent-like top caught his own. Naruto, unbothered by that hindrance, kicked out, but Sasuke caught his foot with his free hand and their eyes met.

Both of them grinned and slowly, they untangled themselves, wiping away the sweat they’d worked up while sparring. (Of course, anyone looking at the remants of the place, would have said, that they were trying to _kill_ each other...)

Naruto hummed satisfied, looking at his new weapon. It felt entirely like the one he’d used so long ago. “I think these pass the test, right? Durable and good chakra-conductive quality.”

Sasuke hummed, shifting his grip on his own shakujō and lowering it, so it touched the ground. Sasuke’s red gaze swept the two black weapons and nodded. “Hai. Higurashi Weapons indeed offers quality products.“ his eyes flickered over their forms and he sighed. “We should change. We practically managed to destroy our own clothing as much, as the training ground.” he murmured.

Naruto looked down at himself and then at Sasuke. Their pants were torn and he didn’t even have a shirt, while Sasuke’s own was hanging off of his form in tatters. Naruto was surprised, that he still had his silver pendant and his granduncle’s crystal. Both rested clamly on his chest, the green-blue crystal pulsing softly with energy.

“Yeah, it seems so.“ he chuckled softly. “Let’s go.“

And then both of them were gone in special _Shunshin_ — Sasuke in a torrent of white flames, while Naruto in vortex of water, filled with sakura petals.

Just ten minutes later, the Head of the ANBU Division would bring a group of new recruits to Training Ground Forty for training, only to find the place completely destroyed. Said Head ANBU cursed very colourfully in his head.

 _‘Damn you Team Rō! That’s **your** work for sure! Someone really should put restraints on you four! I’m certainly speaking with Godaime-sama about this!‘_ he thought.

* * *

Sasuke sighed, as he was finally done with changing clothes. He gently grabbed his hair and the tape, and wrapped the white cloth around his dark tresses. Slowly, his hair was getting to be the same lenght, as it had been, in the past. It was still only half the original lenght— it was the same spiky though, okay maybe perhaps just a little bit _less_ spiky—, but it was getting there and it was reassuring (it also helped, that he’d figured out how to use chakra, to help his hair grow... but **_ssshussh_** , _that_ was something no one needed to know). Okay, perhaps Naruto had figured out the trick, but his otōto had always liked messing with his long hair, so he wouldn’t complain. Quiet the opposite.

In fact, Sasuke had a feeling, that Itachi woud thank him, for figuring out a way to grow his hair faster. Since his hair hadn’t been this long for a long while, Naruto had started pestering Itachi, when he was in the mood to be childish and forget their we-must-save-the-world quest, just for an hour or two. The broody look on Itachi’s face, as Naruto played with his hair was worth _all_ the Uchiha fortune. Altough, Sasuke recalled with a small chuckle, that _braid_ had looked rather nice on Itachi...

He was cut off from his musings, when he sensed several chakra signatures getting close to the village. His Sensory was still not as strong, as Naruto’s, but the training with his Summons had helped a lot in sharpening his senses —all of them. His Sensory prickled with unknown chakra and the wind brought the faint scent of foreigners with it.

“Nī-sama, do you...?“ Naruto called.

Sasuke shot from his room and nodded, muscles tense. “Yes, yes. I can feel them coming. Unknown....”

“And many of them.“ Naruto said, voice hard, “About twenty. No... thirty or so. And they’re _fast_.”

Naruto closed his eyes and Sasuke felt his brother’s chakra rise and rise and get condensed. The energy burst forth from his body in a visible flame, strong enough for Sauske to actually feel a soft pressure on his chest. He flared it even more, than pulled it back... and then again.

ANBU morse trough chakra. Clever. (They definitely owed a tea to Yamato, for the Mokuton-user taking his time, to teach them proper ANBU protocol and code, even though they weren’t part of the Black Ops.)

They disappeared in a synced _Shunshin_ to appear on the top of the Namikaze house, their eyes searching the surroundings. Sasuke blinked and his Sharingan was active. They saw several dots on the sky, as if it were a great flock of birds... but it wasn’t.

Those were shinobi. _Flying_.

“I thought the only ones capable of flight were those in posession of Rikudō chakra.“ Sasuke murmured, bewildered and wary all at once.

“Oh, and there’s the Sandaime Tsushikage.“ Naruto injected. “ _Ryōtenbin no Ōnoki_ , in posession of the _Jiton_ Kekkei Tōta. Or at least, that’s what the Bingo Book says and I’m inclined to believe, that the information is somewhat accurate, considering how accurate our pages are.”

Sasuke arched an eyebrow in interest. “A man? A _non-_ _Ōtsutsuki_ posessing _a Kekkei Tōta_? I _might_ just be impressed right now.”

* * *

Itachi stood next to Kakashi and they watched in bewildered shock, as countless shinobi passed overhead on flying devices. What the _hell_?!

Itachi cursed in the privacy of his mind and his Sharingan flared to life. Next to him, Kakashi cursed loudly, as the enemy dropped bombs and launched a rapid sequence of kunai. Both of them leapt away and he stole a glance at his former ANBU teammate.

“What now?”

“Those symbols...“ Kakashi murmured, his lone eye trailed on the flying enemy, “They’re shinobi from _Sora no Kuni_.”

Itachi arched an eyebrow at those words. “Weren’t they destroyed in the Second War? I mean at the start of it. The Uzumaki at least were lucky enough to pull trough till the very end, but Sora no Kuni...”

“Indeed they were,“ Kakashi murmured, as they parepared for a counter attack, jutsu and weaponry at hand. “Or so, we assumed.”

* * *

Their conversation was halted, when an explosion went off, ruining the Kage Tower. Snapped to attention, both of them noticed several things flying and falling off of the attacking units’ hands. There was another explosion and Naruto cursed.

Naruto sat down and closed his eyes. Time to pull up Uzumaki barriers. He would not let his home get ruined, by the Shinju knows what nameless shinobi. Next to him, Sasuke cursed colourfully and released a pretty powerful wind, to counter the enemy.

Naruto connected the several sealing tags, that he’d littered across the village walls, after the disaster, into which the Chūnin Exams had turned. His father and great-grandfather had helped draw the seals and later he linked each one together and put them in a dormant state with his chakra. Ninshū was really versatile, if one knew how to use it.

Sasuke leapt from the roof, probably to deal damage to the enemy, but Naruto wasn’t overly worried. His brother was capable of taking care of himself just fine.

He placed a hand on the roof, the _shikki_ spreading around him, as he materialised his chains and allowed them to sink into the seal. He raised his hand in a half-Ram for better focus, cursing as another few explosions went off. **“Uzumaki Hiden: Kongō Fūsa Shōheki.”** (Uzumaki Secret Tradition: Adamantine Sealing Chain Barrier)

His breath hitched, as the rapidly forming chains drained his chakra in one cruel yank... but even before he could start worrying, Kurama’s chakra entered his system, amplified by some Nature Chakra. He still couldn’t enter Sage Mode, but the little Nature Chakra, that his body collected, could be used to aid Kurama.

A small smile tugged at his lips, as the sound of explosions was drowned out by the rattle of chains.

* * *

Tsunade watched in shocked worry, as the enemy bombarded the village... and she was powerless to do anything.

“Tsunade-sama, we’re...!” Shizune called in worry. Tsunade stole her a glance.

“Sound the alarm. We’re under attack.” she said, tone hard as she turned back to the window to watch. Shizune turned on her heels and ran off.

Meanwhile, Tsunade watched, powerless to do anything as the enemy bombed the village. She saw several shinobi out there, on the roofs, trying to attach the Sora-nin, only to be cut down by their rapidly flying kunai.

Then, she suddenly felt a powerful chakra spike and despite not being a Sensor, it sent a shiver down her spine. The chakra felt like her grandfather’s. _Naruto._

Then, she saw several dots of light on the walls, as if someone had turned on some switch. The chakra spiked even more, washing over the entire village. Kami have mercy... just _what_ was Naruto capable of? Then, she watched, wide-eyed as massive, golden chains made of chakra formed from the village walls —from the dots, which were most likely some seal— and rose, knotting all over one another, creating....

Her breath hitched. That was Kushina’s chain barrier!

A sheen of bluish-green chakra stretched between the knotted chains, cutting off the airborne enemy from the village. Some Sora-nin were lucky — or unlucky, depending on the prespective— to be caught under the barrier. Those few were being attacked by Konoha’s forces, altough many were too shocked, to do anything — defenders and attackers at the same time.

Then, she felt another powerful chakra spike... this one reminded her briefly of Madara. Wild and searing hot, altough much calmer... _Sasuke_. From a few roofs north of the Namikaze Estate a massive wall of white fire formed and sped trough the barrier, catching three Sora shinobi at once.

* * *

Shikamaru pressed his lips into a thin line, as he observed the enemy. “What is _that_?”

“They’re using chakra. They’re curculating chakra in the wings to give them power.“ Neji said, his Byakugan ablaze, “In circulating their chakra, it changes the currents and allows flight.”

Shikamaru cursed. “Damn it, we have to do...” he was cut off, as ear-splitting rattling filled the air and he watched massive golden chains materialise from the walls surrounding the village. He _knew_ those chains.

Neji choked. “Just how much chakra does Naruto _have_? That’s unholy....“ he murmured in shock.

Then, a few roofs away, he saw a familiar form. Sasuke — his chakra flared in that visible shroud, like back in the Chūnin Exams and then he breathed out a great wave of snow-white fire, touches of blue here and there. Shikamaru watched, as he flames passed trough the barrier created by the chains without problem, catching some of the enemy shinobi.

“At this rate,“ Shikamaru murmured, “I might start developing an inferiority complex, just by watching what those two can do.”

“You’re not the only one.” Neji murmured softly.

* * *

Naruto sighed, when the enemy finally retreated. Most of the damage had been caught by his barrier, which was a good thing. Konoha was in ruins and some parts were burning, but it wasn’t as bad, as it could have been otherwise. He stood on shaky legs, more than a bit tired from all this ordeal. Keeping a village-sized barrier active, while the enemy tried blasting trough it wasn’t exactly a chakra-friendly thing, even for him.

Still, the sight of smoke rising from various parts of the village, set him on edge and gave him strenght to move forwards. Sasuke would be fine, he was sure. For the time being, it may be more effective, to go on and try helping the people seperately.

He sped towards the burning buildings, releasing chakra, already gathering water from the air. Some ANBU were already there, trying to douse the flames, but they were burning hot and fast and using Suiton without a water source nearby was always taxing. (At times like this, he really appreciated all the old principales of Ninshū his father and uncle had laid down, even before he was born. Altough that extra Suiton training with Tobirama-jiji was nice, too.)

His hand flickered into a Dog sign and the water barelled forwards from around him, right at the fire. The four ANBU looked at him in shock — he could feel surprise, awe and gratitude coming from them. “Arigato, Senju-sama.”

Naruto waved at the man, notiching the red cloth on his attire — the Captain of the squad. “Think nothing of it, Captain. I’ll look around for injured or trapped. Try conrtolling this chaos.”

“Of course.” and then, the four were gone.

The handy thing about being related to four out of five Hokage — and being the son of a foreign Princess, who had lived here and added to Konoha’s strenght and fame, — was that now, with his prowess known, no one really objected his orders. Not in this situation.

He leapt down and stretched his senses, altough it wasn’t really necessary. His violet gaze soon found a young woman and a small girl, the woman —either the girl’s mother... or perhaps her sister?— injured. Without thinking, he _Shunshin_ ed next to her, startling the little blonde. He crouched down and his hand glowed with green chakra. The woman’s grey-blue eyes went wide, as she saw him.

“Senj—”

“Shush now.“ Naruto murmured, “Save your stenght.”

“Nē-san...“ the little girl sobbed sadly. Naruto glanced at her and smiled reassuringly.

“Shush now, firefly. Your nē-san will be alright, soon enough. I promise.“ he said, gently reaching out a tendril of calming chakra to the girl, as his gaze settled on the poor young woman. After a few minutes, the woman’s breathing eased and Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.

When he was sure the woman was mostly fine, he let her sit up. Their eyes met. “Do you know where are the emergency bunkers, for situations, like this?“

“Yes.“ she nodded, blinking tiredly.

Naruto nodded, tapping her wrist, which applied a small, green medical seal onto her skin, in the form of the Senjus’ _varja_. “Then go. The seal will gradually release and heal you further. I don’t have time. It will also confirm I sent you, so the shinobi will let you take cover there. Lie down. Sleep, if you can. And don’t forget to eat, if possible. Your body needs energy to recover, my seal can only do so much.”

“A-alright.“ she murmured and Naruto helped her stand up. She grabbed the girl’s hand, stealing him a glance. “Arigato, Senju-sama.” she dipped her head and hurried away.

With a soft huff, Naruto moved further. He had lives to save...

* * *

Team Thirteen stood in the Kage office, their eyes briefly trailed on the broken window, before looking at the livid Godaime.

“Team Thirteen, as loath as I am to say this, I’ll need you to split up.” she said.

“Yes?“ Sauske asked.

“Naruto, please help with the injured.“ the blonde nodded with a hum and Sasuke guessed his brother had expected that request. He was a fully trained (if uncertified, as of yet) medic and there were many injured.

“Of course, Oba-san.”

“Kakashi, you take Shino, Shikamaru, Sai and Sasuke. Try tracking where the enemy might have gone off to.“ Tsunade instructed, her brown eyes ablaze with fierce protectiveness. As reluctant as she’d been to become Hokage, the office — or more like the village,— had grown on her more, than ever before and anyone, who harmed what was dear to a Senju-Uzumaki.... _well_ , hell hath no wath, like a woman scorned, they said... a scorned Uzumaki though, was an entirely different matter, capable of taking down an entire batallion, if the situation called for it.

And right now, the Godaime Hokage was the epitome of a scorned Uzumaki.

“Hai, Hokage-sama.”

Sasuke stopped, as he placed his hand on the doorknob, just to glance back at the woman. “Who were these shinobi, sensei?“

The woman grimaced. “Sora no Kuni. A technologically advanced community, similar to Yuki no Kuni. They went down during the Seond War... we thought them destroyed. But they’re back, so it seems. And they obviously want revenge on Konoha, for what happened during the war.”

Sasuke sowled. “Revenge? Can humanity _never_ see past pettiness and revenge?“ he muttered darkly, “I’m starting to question what the hell had Otō-sama even seen in this world. I can name the people worth saving... the others just add to the pile of problems we’re trying to tackle...“

With those words, he slipped out of the office, followed by Kakashi.

* * *

Naruto sighed, as he let the green chakra fade from his hand, studying the girl. “Who treated her, before she was brought in? It’s a work of skill.“ he said, stealing a glance at Ino, who’d brought in the unlucky —or lucky, depending on the presepctive,— civilian.

The Yamanaka Heiress shook her head. “I don’t know. It was an aged man — I’ve never seen him before. He said he was a doctor. I assume, a civilian one, so I brought her in, just to be sure. Besides, he said she’ll need to be watched.”

“Did you say doctor?“ a new, unfamiliar voice called. Naruto’s gaze flickered towards it, just as someone he’d never seen before, landed in the room via window.

The person’s chakra was calm and low in level. A civilian girl. She had shocking blue eyes and redish brown hair, tied with a bandana. The stranger darted closer and peered at the unconscious patient. “She was probably treated by Master Shinnō.“ she said.

Naruto arched an eyebrow. “By who? And who are _you_ , if I may ask?“

The girl’s gaze flickered to her. “My name is Amaru. I came to Konoha to look for my sensei, because our village had been attacked by unknown shinobi... but I see they attacked here as well.”

Naruto raised an eyebrow. “So, you were attacked by these shinobi?“

Amaru nodded. “Yes. I hoped to find master Shinnō so he could help...“ her eyes settled on the patient again, “He’s here somewhere. He can help me in my village. I need to find him.”

The sadness and desperation radiating off of her was really tugging at his heart-strings... **“Not that it’s hard to tug at your heartstrings, Asura.“** Kurama injected, rather unexpectedly.

Naruto rolled his eyes inwardly at his Bijū brother. _‘Quiet now, Kurama. This is serious.‘_ he chided softly.

Then, he looked at Amaru. “I’ll speak with the Hokage and then I think, we may be able to help you.”

He quickly formed a Snake seal, wordlessly creating a Wood Clone and he waved it off. It could aid the medics, while he was inside the village. At this rate, its chakra wouldn’t last longer, than an hour or two, at best.

“Come with me.“ he called, looking at Amaru. He nodded to Ino and slipped away.

Confused, yet hopeful, Amaru followed.

* * *

_**Unknown location, Orochimaru’s hideout:** _

Kabuto frowned, as he heard the bone rattling cough. His master’s health was rapidly delcining, despite his best efforts. Not exactly a good thing.

“Orochimaru-sama?“

A moment passed, before the Sannin looked at him. “I’ll need to perfect that jutsu and fast. There’s a man — Shinnō. An acomplished doctor, he’d helped me before. I need his help again. He can help me finish the jutsu and achieve my objective.” he said in a raspy voice.

Kabuto nodded. “What shall we do?“

“Send the Sound Four to find him.” the Sannin instructed.

Kabuto dipped his head and slipped out of the room. Luckily for him, he didn’t need to barge trough the entire hideout, because he ran into the redhead — and the only female member of the Sound Four.

“Tayuya.“ he called.

The redhead stopped and gave him a dark look, but didn’t speak. “What is it?”

Kabuto waited for a moment, to be sure he had her full attention. “There’s an important mission for the four of you. Orochimaru-sama would need it done in haste...”

* * *

Sasuke’s senses went haywire, when they laid eyes on the ships, where the Sora-nin had landed. Something wasn’t right. The coast was quiet, tranquil in a way he did not think it would be, with invaders nearby. Yet the tranquility and the sunshine, which would fit into fairytales was also decieving. Something... something evil, otherworldy was clawling over the ships... a fraction of energy, that did not fit into the definiton of _chakra_ , as his father had taught it to them, when So no Kuni still existed and was one of the ruling kingdoms. As much, as it could be called a kingdom, that is.

“So this is where they’re hiding.“ Shikamaru murmured, as he glanced at them. “Is the plan clear?”

He grinned wryly at the Nara. “Of course it is.“

Sai nodded as well, unfurling his scroll. Sasuke eyed the boy with just a little bit of distrust — with his colouration, he would have passed for an Uchiha, altough his chakra felt nothing, like those of his kin. Besides, the former ROOT operative was skilled in ink-based Ninjutsu and some Fūinjutsu, which was a surprise, as the latter was a rather complex Art.

“How manouverable are your creations?“ he asked, looking at the ink-user.

Sai looked at him seriously. “Pretty nicely. Definitely better, than those flying devices, the Sora-nin have.”

Sasuke nodded. “Good. Get ready to be quick, then. I’ll cover for you, but my jutsu are rather volatile, with so much water around us.”

Sai gave an acknowledging humm and turned to his scroll, to ready his drawing. In the meanwhile, Shino pulled his coat tighter around himself, ready to infiltrate the enemy lines. Sasuke had a bad feeling about the whole place —something was just off. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

He looked at the Aburame. “Something’s not right here. Keep your hive from feeding off the shinobi. The chakra here makes my skin _crawl_ and that only happened that one time, when we encountered Orochimaru.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the chapter, where Naruto and Sasuke´s newest weapon of choice makes a debut! I bet you guys forgot, that the boys had ordered custom-made shakujo from Higurashi Weapons xD (in chapter 45)
> 
> As always, I only ask you to drop a comment and share your opinion. Arigato :3


	53. Chaos

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, as the Sky ninja flew after Sai. It was obvious, that he was in trouble. There were too many of the foreigners airborne for Sai to deal with them on his own. A part of him wished he had some bird Summons...

 _‘No... there’s another way.‘_ he thought, a smirk forming on his lips. He channeled more chakra into his eyes, morphing them into the higher level. (One of these days, he’ll have to ask Naruto and Tsunade, to help him and Itachi switch eyes, before his brother went blind...)

 **“Kongen: Amaterasu.”** (Origin: Heavenly Illumination) his eyes spun and the chakra took effect. He felt the sting and the heavy pressure on his system, that always came with using the second level, but he grit his teeth and channeled more chakra in the flames to further increase the heat. Three of the enemy nin caught fire, the black flames devourig them at an unnaturally fast rate.

“What is _that_?” Shikamaru asked, as he caught another nin with his shadow, his eyes briefly flickering to the black fire. “I thought your fire was _white_?”

Sasuke chuckled. “The _Shiroi Honō_ is the peak of natural fire transformation. Something I could teach _you_ or anyone else, as long as you have the necessery proficiency in the element and enough chakra — a _Hijutsu_ , I suppose, if you want to categorise it. Those black flames, my friend, are _Amaterasu_ — an ability of the Mangekyō Sharingan, that only a few of my Clan ever had access to. It’s an extension of our Kekkei Genkai, in a way.”

Shikamaru’s eyes flickered to the Sora-nin, as they fell into the ocean. “ _Impressive_.”

Shikamaru himself pulled a ninja from the sky and Sai killed another one airborne, with his tantō. Sasuke had to addmit, the ink-user was skilled — very much so. Some of the ninja turned back, trying to avoid their comardes’ fate of failure, but it was pointless. Sasuke focused his gaze on a retreating one, the closest to him and that man caught fire as well. The sudden sting — but mostly, the chakra drain— left him breathless for a second. Cursing mentally, he allowed his eyes to revert into their three-tomoe state.

Just as the few men touched down on the ship, Sasuke sensed a massive source of chakra — several tiny, living ones creating a great pool. Slowly the ship was swammed by Shino’s hive and his lips curled upwards. The Aburame was good — the enemy hadn’t even noticed, that their presence was merely a diversion.

As Shino climbed out of the water, drenched to the bone, Sasuke gave him a slight nod of acknowledgement. “Finely done.”

“Thank you.”

Sasuke cursed again, as he felt the light-headedness sneaking up on him, courtesy of too much chakra used, at a rapid rate— and tapped the Chakra Storage Seal on his wrist. **“Fūin: Kai.”** (Seal: Release) 

The small black pattern spread out, glowing softly and his reserves were filled once more, the touch of medical chakra Naruto left in the very foundations of the seal, dulling the ache of his chakra pathways. Kakashi’s eyebrow went up a notch. “Chakra Storage Seal? When?”

Sasuke shrugged. “You know how good Otōto is. It was his idea, after he formed his _Byakugō_ — he thoguht it might help keep us on equal footing, in a sense. He has bigger reserves and denser chakra anyway, that’s just how it is... but this thing _does_ help in narrowing the gap between us, chakra wise.”

His former teacher’s single eye rested on the slowly sinking ships. “We should go back and report.”

* * *

**_Kumo:_ **

While Konoha was dealing with the invading Sora forces, the unsuspecting shinobi of Kumogakure were going on with their normal lives. Well, most of them, that is.

Two certain individuals were seated on the top of a small mountain, meditating. Or rather, connecting their minds trough their Bijū, which allowed them to meet both of the great beings at once.

Both Bee’s and Yugito’s seals were in top condition, but despite their relatively good relationship with their respective Bijū, neither of their seals were completely open, therefore tags and poles littered the space, showing the seals’ purpose.

Yugito was a tall, blonde haired woman, her long hair tied back in a low ponytail, wrapped with tape. Her eyes kept jumping between the two Bijū. Matatabi was to her right, closer to her, while Gyūki was to her left, somewhat farther away, but thus, predictably closer to Bee. As her gaze kept shifting between the two, she sensed how serious the two were. Obviously Bee could feel it too, as he was uncharacteristically silent, eyeing the Hachibi with some worry.

“What’s wrong?“ she asked, peering at the Cat.

Matatabi huffed and laid down. **“That Bingo Book you were called for...“** she spoke, her voice serious.

“What about it?“ Bee asked.

 **“Have you read it?“** the oniushi asked. **“Those two younglings... there was only _one_ Sharingan-user troughout history, who was capable of creating and controlling the _Shiroi Honō_.”**

Yugito blinked, her eyes shifting between the two Bijū. “You know that technique?“

 **“Yes, we do.“** Matatabi confirmed, **“It’s creator based the flames off of my own blue fire... altough he actually suceeded in using _natural_ fire, not needing special chakra, like ours is. Those flames are natural fire, that you would use to light a campfire.... but much, _much_ hotter, hence the colour. That fire is strong enough to combat even me and my four-tailed brother.“**

Yugito’s jaw fell open. “B-but that’s _impossible_! Only Bijū can match a Bijū, no? And so only Jinchūriki can match Jinchūriki! And the Uchiha isn’t one... a host, I mean.”

 **“Normally, I would agree with you.“** Gyūki said, **“But not this time. There were two people, who had enough power, to halt even us. All nine of us — seperately, maybe even two of us at once. Ech of them were capable of holding two of us, three, if their chakra was stretched thin. Perhaps, if they had worked together, they would have been able to hold all Nine of us at once and still walk away afterwards.“**

Yugito’s eyes went wide and a shiver ran down her spine. She noticed Bee fidgeting as well. To think there were people so strong!

“Wh-who could be capable of such a feat?“ she whispered in fear.

Matatabi shifted again. “Our younger brothers. Sons of the man, you humans know, as the Rikudō Sennin.“

“S-sons of the Sennin?“ Bee asked, throwing a look at Matatabi.

 **“Aye.“** Gyūki agreed, **“Indra and Asura** **Ōtsutsuki. Indra, being the first weilder of the _Sharingan_ — eventually, his bloodline became the Uchiha Clan. And Asura, the younger — he had our father’s body and chakra. He was the first user of what you know, as the _Mokuton_. His descendants became the Senju and later, the Uzumaki.”**

Yugito sallowed hard and looked at the Hachibi again. “A-and? What does this mean?“

 **“It means, those two youngsters are either the most dangerous enemies,“** Matatabi murmured, **“or the best allies. Indra and Asura had a fallout in their lifetime, which caused the bloodshed between the Senju and Uchiha. The last person, who had the _Mokuton_ , was Konoha’s Shodaime, Senju Hashirama — his chakra felt startlingly, like Asura’s used to be, altough much weaker. Not that the man was _weak_... he was just simply not as well-versed in chakra-usage, as Asura.“**

 **“What the point is,“** Gyūki added, **“that those two are possibly a lot like our brothers used to be. And so, they are very dangerous, as enemies. Try staynig away from them. Well, Asura-kun had always been kind and considerate... but Indra... once he spoke of imprisoning us. Any descendant of his, poses a danger. Especially if the rumours of the two of them together subduing Isobu is true.”**

Yugito bit her lip and stole a glance at Bee. “We’ll be careful.“ she promised.

Sons of the Rikudō Sennin, stronger, than the likes of Senju Hashirama... the thought sent a dreadful shiver down her spine. She hoped never to see those two Konoha-nin.

* * *

Naruto leaned against the room’s wall, as he let Shinnō sit by Amaru’s bed. The girl had fainted from exhaustion not long after entering Tsunade’s office. And while he carried her back here, Ino had some luck and found the stranger, who’d treated the girl she’d brought in in the morning. As it turned out, Amaru was indeed Shinnō’s aprentice. The man was a doctor, who’d retured from shinobi life a long ago.

The man looked at him. As their eyes met — violet on pale gold— Naruto felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. For some reason, his _Negative Emotion Sense_ was going haywire and it didn’t bode well. At the same time, he didn’t understand _why_ — the man seemed kind enough. He was one to heal and not destroy, from what he’d seen.

“You should be resting.“ Shinnō said kindly, “You’ve used too much chakra. I don’t know what you were doing, but I can see the signs of exhaustion.”

Naruto twitched at how true the words were, however, he would not addmit it to a stranger. He could partially release his _Byakugō_ , he had more than enough chakra inside it to help his recovery, however doing so, would stretch his body. He knew, that the Seal was meant to help regeneration, by speeding the splitting of cells...

 _‘A nice idea, but full of faults.‘_ he thought. He would have to try and figure something out about it. As useful as the Seal was, it wasn’t nice, that it shortened his lifespan — even with how strong his life-force was. Not as strong, as in his first life, but he was sure, that the reincarnation strenghtened his body and chakra even more, so he was stronger than any half-blood Senju-Uzumaki before him.

Kurama’s chakra was slowly mixing with his own, nudging along his natural healing, but his chakra pathways were rather strained from the stunt he’d pulled with the Chains, so his brother had to be careful, with how much he helped.

“I will be fine. I’m a shinobi and a medic myself.“ he said dismissively, “I’m very aware of what I can and cannot withstand.“ his eyes flickered to the man, “Thank you for your concern, though.”

Still, as his eyes drifted shut, he was thinking about taking a soldier pill. Something told him, that this mess was far from over. The Sora-nin had to be dealt with and fast. He had protected the village now, but he doubted he could pull off another one like this, without serious backlash.

* * *

The Council was in uproar from hearing he wanted to leave with Sasuke to investigate.

“You’d _abandon_ the village when we need you most?“ Koharu asked, eyes narrowing, “It was the barrier...”

Naruto growled, his eyes flashing red, with a spike of Kurama’s chakra. “I’m _not_ abandoning Konoha. And if you want to live, old hag, you will _never_ even _suggest_ such a thing again, or the Shinigami help me, I will allow the Kyūbi to do, what he had done with Shimura.”

She drew back, as if slapped and Naruto pulled his chakra forth, to mask Kurama’s. The village didn’t need to know he was practically running on the thing right now.

“Naruto...“ Tsunade called softly, her tone far from as sharp as it usually was, when she put down an unruly council member, “Please, no threats. We’ve enough problems anyway.”

“Otōto is right.“ Sasuke spoke, his tone chilling, as he threw a look at the old hag, “We cannot wait for them to come back. We have to strike, when they don’t expect and maybe we can figure out something about them, by going out to that village. With how much chakra the barrier ate up he wouldn’t be able to use it...“ Sasuke trailed off for a second, his Sharingan running over his chakra system in a cursory manner, “...again for about seventy-two hours. I doubt the enemy will need _that_ much time to refuel and get ready. Hence, we’ll be defenceless anyway.”

Everyone fell silent at that.

Tsunade sighed and nodded. “Permission granted. You two may acompany Amaru and Shinnō. Anyone else you’d like to go with you?”

Naruto hummed thoughtfully, before throwing a look at the Hyūga Clan Head and then at Tsunade. “Hyūga Neji.”

“Very well. The three of you may escort the two of them.”

* * *

They sat in small rowboats, making their way up the river. In the meanwhile, Sasuke kept his Sensory stretched to its fullest, knowing that Naruto was still tired. Better than before, but still tired. The protective part of him wanted his little brother _safe_ and tucked in bed, where he could rest... but the rational part of him said, that useless Naruto passed out, the blonde wouldn’t stay put anyway. Not with the village in danger and so many people in need of healing and reassurance. So, if Naruto was up and about, best have him where he could keep a Sharingan on him, just to be safe.

His head jerked upwards and he cursed. “ _Shinju damn it_.“ he hissed, “Enemy incoming.” he said, expelling some chakra, to steer the water’s current. Shinnō looked at him in surprise at the “masterful“ display of Suiton usage, but he ignored it. (For the man, this was mastery. For him, it was a mere trick of Ninshū. The _real_ Suiton master in the family was Naruto. _He_ couldn’t pull water from the air, like the Nidai and his brother.)

Neji pulled down a few branches of the tree they stopped under, concealing them. The air was filled with sharp swissing of wind, as the Sora patrol passed ahead. When they were gone, Shinnō steered them back onto the main route on the river. As he did so, the other boat was flipped and Naruto resurfaced — drenched and irrate, but fine.

“Amaru?“ he asked, glancing at Naruto.

Naruto raised his hand and noticed, that he was only holding the girl’s jacket. “ _Amaru!_ ” he tossed the jacket to the boat and dived underwater again. Sasuke twitched, worried that Naruto was still too tired for this...

A few minutes later Naruto resurfaced, bringing the girl with him. He sighed in relief and hopped onto the water, to help pull the two out and back onto their own boat. That was when he noticed a flock of carnivorous fish, heading for his brother.

A blast of Killing Intent and cold chakra was enough to make the fish disappear, before they could do any harm. Naruto flashed him a grateful smile and then, they continoued upstream.

* * *

Naruto huffed, glad when Amaru announced, that they were near the village. They’d been walking for a while now and he was staring to think the girl was leading them astray into some trap (the uneasy feeling, that set his senses on high alert, still hadn’t faded and it seemed, the more they progressed the uneasier Sasuke himself was). But, as they neared it, he caught the faint scent of smoke in the air.

“Naruto?“ Neji asked, immediately noticing the shift in his body language.

“Smoke.“ he said.

Amaru’s eyes widened and before any of them could react, she bolted. Shinnō called after her, but she was deaf to the warning and hurried forwards anyway. They followed her, their steps more hurried, than before. They coud hear her frantic calls, as she looked for the villagers. Naruto sighed sadly — other than them, he couldn’t sense anyone. The place was empty and burning. Fire crackled everywhere and somke rose into the sky in fat puffs, almost like angry clouds.

“Amaru! We should...“ he called, as they passed the gate. She tripped and stumbled and the neyt moment, Naruto saw the silvery glint of metal and heard several weapons — perhaps bows?— being released. A hail of kunai came from several trees and bushes, headed straight for the stairs, where Amaru was.

“Amaru!” Shinnō called sharply.

Naruto felt Sasuke move, chakra crackling under his feet, but for once, the white-haired doctor was faster. The man used his blade to diverege several kunai, before pushing Amaru out of harms way. But at the same time, he left himself open and more kunai than he could possibly avoid without a masterful _Shunshin_ lodged into his body. Naruto winced inwardly at every dull thud, as the kunai burried in the man’s body, at least halfway.

“No! Master Shinnō!” Amaru called. They reached her just in time for him to grab her, so she wouldn’t try saving the man and thus getting killed, too. The man fell to his knees, smiled briefly and then rolled down the stairs, burrying some of the kunai even deeper into his body.

 _Ouch_ , not a nice way of death.

“Hang in there! Master Shinnō!”

Naruto pushed her away, as he knelt next to the man, hands burning with dense, green chakra, some Mokuton thrown into the fold, to amplify the healing. The man looked at Amaru, uncaring of the blood staining his clothes.

“Talk about close calls, huh? I got there just in time... to get you out of harm’s way.”

“Why?“ Amaru asked, her blue eyes wide.

“Because you’re the one I recognise, as my apprentice.“ he said quietly, his breathing becoming more and more laboured. With a single move, he removed his bandana and gave it to Amaru. “It’s all up to you now. Work with our new friends and find the villagers. You must hurry... find them... save them.” he choked on air and Naruto cursed.

Amaru grabbed the man’s shoulders, careful not to jolst the kunai. “Doctor!”

What the hell... something was wrong. Alright, there were many wounds and they’d been burried deep, but it was like his chakra was barely doing any healing. Were... had the kunai been poisoned, too?

“Doctor!“ Amaru was now openly crying, tears streaming down her face. “ _Doctor!_ ”

Neji knelt next to him, Byakugan ablaze. Naruto gently, but hurriedly spread his chakra even further, trying to stop the bleeding and help along the healing... but he could feel it. He could hear it. The man was slipping away — the Shinigami was just lingering above them, ready to take him from the land of living.

Naruto sighed dejectedly, just as Neji allowed his Byakugan to deactivate. He pulled his hand away. The man was dead. His breathing and heart had stopped. Chakra seemed to flee his body, as it always happened to the dead, but the cold, otherworldly feeling remained clinging.

Naruto briefly wondered, if Amaru or the man were the source of the hair-raising energy.

 _“NO! DOCTOR!”_ Amaru shrieked, the grief radiating off of her nearly choking, as she leaned down to hug the now motionless body.

 _“Kurama nī-sama, can you identify the energy?”_ he asked, his eyes flickering about uneasily.

**“I’m afraid not, Asura. But it’s not _natural_ , that much I can tell. And... yes, it’s coming from the man. The girl is wrapped in it too, but the source is the man.”**

It was an information he’d file away for later.

* * *

**_Meanwhile in Konoha:_ **

Tsunade grit her teeth, as she noticed another group of incoming Sora-nin. She looked at Iruka, who’d come to report on the damage done and that the civilians were now safely in the bunkers. “Sound the alarm. They’re back.”

“Hai, Hokage-sama.“ as the scarred Chūnin disappeared, she turned back to the window, to watch the incoming foreigners.

A part of her wanted to go out and _fight_... but these shinobi were airborne and they had the advantage. If she died, the village would be forced to look for a new Hokage in the worst of scenarios and she didn’t want that. This mess would be bad enough to clean up, without her dying.

She turned on her heels. She may not be able to help on the field, to defend the village, but she could help in the hospital.

Several of the Sora devices were dropped and as they exploded, she cursed in her mind. She hoped Naruto and their little group would be sucessful. Useless they found a way to effectively counter the airborne attack — and _fast_ — Konoha was as good, as a pile of ashes.

* * *

He kept his distance and allowed Amaru to grieve, as they stood above the hasty grave, the doctor’s torn, bloody vest hanging from it, tugged by the breeze. She’d have to find her own strenght now — the man had said more encouraging and inspiring words, than Naruto could have at the moment. She would have to keep those in mind and move forwards.

“Amaru?“ he called gently. The amout of grief radiating off of her, chilled the air and it saddened him. “We’ll have to go, if we want to find the villagers and the Sora-nin. If we fail, more people may die.”

Amaru took a shaky breath and then nodded. “Let’s go.”

As they walked away, he saw her throw one last glance at the grave.

For a while — perhaps it was a mistake on his part, but he wasn’t keeping track of time—, they walked in silence, until they stopped and Sasuke looked around. “Perhaps we should split up?“

“I don’t think that’s a too good idea...“ Neji said, obviously uneasy, as the forest thickened around them and mist crawled in. Naruto could smell water nearby.

Naruto threw him a reassuring glance. “Relax. It’s going to be fine. You go with Sasuke. I’ll go with Amaru.”

Neji glanced at both of them and his lips twitched. “Was that an _order_ , Asura-sama?“ he hissed softly, so that Amaru would not hear.

Naruto hummed, “It was a friendly request, however, you _can_ take it as an order, from a higher-ranking officer, _Chūnin_.“ he said, his lips curling upwards.

Neji sighed and then looked at Sasuke. “I _so_ don’t like that you two are Jōnin.”

His brother smirked and made a gesture towards the other direction. “Let’s go.”

The two of them leapt away and Naruto turned to Amaru. “Shall we?”

The russet-haired girl barely glanced at him, as she started walking. “Sure.” she murmured. Naruto frowned, as he followed. This downtrodden attitude would not do...

* * *

He skidded to a halt, when he noticed dark, towering ruins ahead in the mist. The place gave off the same uneasy, unnamable feeling, he’d been getting since the start. So... this had to be it. “Look, Amaru. We’re here.”

Her gaze barely flicked upwards at the place. “Good.”

He frowned in worry, but they really didn’t have time to stop. He would have to speak with her later. _“I’m worried for her. She’s been too quiet, since we left the village’s ruins behind.”_

**“Humans grieve, Asura and you know it. You and Indra were emotionally instable for a very long while, after you remembered. You recall how you slept back to back on that tiny bed for the first week after he fled the hospital? Or how he lost it, seeing blood, on the way to Nami?”**

_“But this is different. That energy sets me on edge. It’s unknown and foul. Makes my hackles rise.“_ he protested. (Besides, their situation had been _realy_ different. They had a few thousand years of mistakes, hurt and bloodshed to deal with.)

 **“You don’t even have _hackles_ , Asura-kun.“** Kurama pointed out with a deadpan tone.

Naruto huffed, mentally rolling his eyes. _“Figure speech, Nī-sama. Figure speech.”_

He kept going forwards, stretching his Sensory out, but as he felt the strange chakra again, he yanked it back, as if burned. Warily, he clipped the shakujō from his back and sent a tiny burst of chakra into it. The seals he covered his new weapon with, pulsed to life with a soft, gold-green light.

As he glanced around, he noticed, that he was alone — Amaru was gone from behind him. He grit his teeth, as a cold shiver ran down his spine. “Not good. Where could she have gone?“ he muttered. The mist was really making it hard to see, but he didn’t feel like using chakra to even stir the wind. Something was nearby and he was loath to call attention, without knowing what it was.

He walked for a few minutes, eyes everywhere, trying to spot the source of the uneasy feeling... until he noticed Amaru, walking towards him slowly, her head down. He blinked and lowered his weapon. “Amaru? Are you okay? Where you’ve been?“

Slowly, Amaru raised her head and he saw, a her eyes turned bright red. He straightened up. _“I am the Reibi. When conflict rages in the world and human hearts are overtaken by darkness, I am born anew.”_

Naruto pressed his lips together, taking a step back. _“What the fuck is this?”_

 _“I consume the darkness of men’s souls, rise up and grow, gathering limitless strenght.“_ the eerie voice hissed. Naruto saw a dark, shadow curl around Amaru — it looked vaguely leech-like, it’s body a dark shade of purple, with a white mask for face.

 **“I’d like to know that myself, Asura.“** Kurama growled, his eyes flashing sinisterly. **“But it’s _that_ thing, that gives off the hackle-rising energy.”**

 _“So that this world would be ruled by DARKNESS.“_ the voice growled. The ghostly form condensed, forming an actual, physical body, sallowing Amaru. The creature grinned, the expression sinister and disturbing in every sense of the word — the grin was way too wide for it’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave comments and tell me what you think :)


	54. The Reibi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fair warning. This is an AU, so while the basics for this Arc come from the Movie, it differs greatly from the original, to fit with my mad little mind :3
> 
> Dear < irritatedbookworm > Has anyone ever called you a genius? If not, then I’m calling you one now. Your idea sniplet about the Reibi being related to the Jūbi just kept coming back to me/mixing with my own original idea for the... creature? Thing? Whatever. And when I remembered Kurama’s not-so-nice reaction to IT... well, things clicked into place. So this chapter was born.  
> Since you kind-of helped me, without realising, this chapter is dedicated to you :3 <3

Sasuke froze, when he felt the blood-chilling feeling pass over him again. It felt like chakra, yet it _wasn’t_ — it felt exactly the same, he’d felt down on the shore, facing off against the Sora shinobi.

“Otōto...“ he whispered dreadfully.

“Indra-sama, something’s wrong?“ Neji asked.

In any other situation he would have chided Neji for being formal with him — they were friends, after all. In any other situation, he would have chided the Hyūga, for calling him by his ancient name, even if he was, _truthfully_ , more comfortable with that name.

 _That_ name meant a loving family — a father, a little brother, nine older siblings, an uncle and two cousins, even if one of them was a bit of a jerk. Being _Sasuke_ meant he had nothing but betrayal and blood to his name and a brother, who while loved him — and whom he loved, just as he loved Asura,— was burdened and broken in his own way.

But this was not that situation. They were apart, on a mission, with something dark lurking somewhere and Konoha was at war. So, instead of chiding Neji for the name and the formal tone, he just made a vague gesture at their path. “Otōto’s in trouble. We should go.”

The Moon bless his soul, Neji didn’t ask what was going on or how he could know from such a distance, because this was beyond his natural Sensory range. The older teen just nodded and made a gesture for him to lead the way. Sasuke did just that. He leapt back towards the direction, from where they’d come. As he sped trough the place, he reached for his shakujō, every muscle in his body tense, as the foul chakra — no, he wasn’t even sure that _foul something_ could be called chakra— filled his senses.

“What is that?“ Neji asked, as they sped forwards.

“What do you see? My Sharingan is advanced yes, but it was never meant to detect chakra in the way Byakugan does.” he said.

Neji frowned. “An energy... I’m not sure what it is... I would say it’s chakra... but chakra is blue. Or red, if we involve Bijū and Jinchūriki. Perhaps green or gold, if Naruto... but...“

“ _But?_ “ he asked, just a silver of impatience and desperation slipping into his tone. He’d never really seen chakra in colour, like Mitra and her kin. For him, chakra was the same silvery blue, save for the Bijūs’.... and of course medical chakra, which appeared green, but that didn’t need the Sharingan. And even if his Sharingan was active, the medical chakra would appear a mix of blue and green.

Byakugan-users, however, could see chakra in colour. Or at least, with a soft hue, he guessed — as long, as the one in posession of the Dōjutsu was proficient enough. He remembered, that Mitra had always been capable of telling which of the five elements was the easiest for someone, because the chakra would have a soft colour associated with the element.

“This one...“ Neji looked at him, his face confused, fearful and sickened at the same time, “It’s _black_. Well, purplish-black to be accurate, but...”

Sasuke lost his footing in shock and Neji skidded to a halt, reaching for him. He got his bearings back just in time, altough the Hyūga’s hand clasped around his lower arm, like a vice, keeping him steady. He took a shaky breath and rightened himself, nodding to his friend. “Arigato.”

Sasuke cursed mentally. Only one creature, that he knew of, had such chakra, was the Jūbi — because, while _Gudōdama_ were black in colour, they were made of the seven Elements and that would be detected by Neji. Besides, he felt no particular element associated to the energy.

“Something’s wrong?“ Neji asked, “What’s with that chakra?”

Sasuke growled. “It means, that we’re in big trouble... and gods forbid... do you remember the story of the Jūbi?”

“Yes. What about it?“

“Only _that_ has black chakra. So... whatever that is, out there, is somehow linked to the Shinju and that does not bode well. Because anything outside of the seal, that gains power, helps the seal weaken, thus speeding up the resurrection of the beast.”

Neji grunted. “Wonderful. I doubt, that fighting a primordial god...“

“Practically, it would just be the essence of it.“ Sasuke injected. “A _shade_ , not the actual Shinju.”

“ _Whatever_...“ Neji huffed, as they resumed their way towards the location, “because fighting that thing— whatever it is— is not in the job description of shinobi. Especially not in the job description of _Chūnin_.”

Sasuke threw him a look. “No. Not in the job description of shinobi. But it **_is_** in the job description to a disciple of Ninshū. And _you_ are one such disciple.”

Neji’s eyes narrowed on him. “There isn’t even a ‘job description‘ for a follower of Ninshū. I doubt the Sage has written one.“ he deadpanned.

“Hyūga... you’re forgetting, that we are the sons of said Sage. We were the second generation to be born with chakra. Ninjutsu as you know it today, was born between mine and Asura’s hand. So as such, it is well within my rights, to draw up a ‘job description‘, if you so insist to hold such a document.”

Neji twitched. “ _Fuck you_ , Uchiha.”

Sasuke snorted. “You can’t even deny being Mitra’s blood.“

* * *

 **“That thing...“** Kurama snarled, **“It feels vaguely like...“**

 _“Like your power.“_ Naruto finished, _“Bijū presence, yet it is not. Malvolent, dark, **chaotic** in every possible way. Hatered and grief...“ _the creature screeched and launched at him. Naruto leapt into the air to avoid it.

He landed soundlessly on the ground, facing the beast again. It shrieked, opening its mouth in an unnatural angle, showing sharp, square-like teeth and launched at him a second time. This time, he didn’t avoid it. He raised his shakujō and swung. It wounded the thing, making it shriek. The sound was realy ear-splitting and he feared if he heard it a third time, his ears might start bleeding.

The creature launched several tentacles at him and Naruto jumped up, swinging his shakujō again. The released chakra cut the arms and the creature curled in on itself for a second, but he felt that it was gathering more energy. As a response, he channeled more of his chakra into the shakujō, which made the six rings on it slip into different positions.

But before he could be ready with the attack, the creature propelled forwards, wrapping its limbs around him. Naruto grunted in pain. Kurama’s chakra filled his body in a flash and the boiling red chakra encased him, sharpening his teeth and nails. However, the next thing he knew, that all of the power was being absorbed.

 _“Yes, yes... that **power**! You’re interesting Uzumaki Naruto.“_ the sickening grin spread across its visage again, _“You have something interesting there... oh show me the darkness in your heart.”_

Naruto spat at the spirit. “You’re sorely mistaken, _onryō_ , if you think I would let you take my power! Or my brother’s!” he sent a pulse of chakra trough his system, which shut the seal tigher, cutting off Kurama completely. The spirit shrieked in rage and swung him wildly.

He crashed painfully against the rocky earth and groaned. Hell, this was worse, than his brother scoring a full-strenght hit, when he was unprepared. The leech (could it even be called a leech?) dragged it’s tentacles back, which raised him into the air....

“Let him go you sickening fucker! **Ninshū: Tsuki no Sierei Kama!”** (Shinobi Creed: Spirit Scythe of the Moon) he heard Sasuke call.

Then, suddenly, a great wave of chakra, bluish-purple in coulour hit the creature, cutting it in half. It shrieked again and the tentacles let him go. Naruto groaned and the next moment, he fell to the ground. Neji and Sauske appeared next to him in a burst of speed, his brother pointing his shakujō — still glowing with chakra— at the appariation.

They watched as it drew back and slowly reattached itself, hissing and shrieking, enraged even more.

“W-what the _hell_?” Neji choked, “You _cut it in half_!”

“That’s the problem with these creatures.“ Sasuke growled, “They can’t be killed, useless you destroy the vessel.“

“N-Nī-sama...“ Naruto groaned, rubbing the sore spots in his arm, “It has Amaru. I’m guessing it took hold of her, in her grief. As long as that’s the case, you can’t even attempt to get rid of it, or Amaru dies.”

Sasuke murmured something vaguely rude, before turning to face the Reibi. _“Snap out of it_ , Amaru! You’re a medic, no? Medics _save_ lives, not destroy them!”

Naruto looked at the creature. “Shinnō _trusted_ you to carry on his teachings. To heal. He said he was _proud_ of you — proud of a girl, who smiled and healed. One who wanted to turn the world a better place. Aprentinces hounour their masters teachings! Don’t destroy everything, that’s good!“

“Shinnō may be gone,“ Sasuke added, “but you have to hold onto his legacy. His memory. The _good_ times. As long as you do, what he taught you to, he’ll be there with you, even when he is not. You’re not alone then.“

There was a flicker... and then another. The next minute, the leech dissolved, leaving black sniplets of chakra, before they were gone too.

“Doctor Shinnō.“ Amaru muttered, before her eyes closed and then she fell, unconscious.

* * *

**_Unknown location:_ **

The man frowned, as the Reibi returned into its cocoon. “Ah, so it seems, the blonde is more powerful, than it seemed at first... not many can contain darkess so well. There was barely anything in him and even with the Kyūbi there... he’s a clear mind. On the top of it, the darkness also faded from Amaru’s heart.“

The man slowly walked up to the massive, golden circle on the floor, that was full of strange symbols. His steps echoed eerily, in the mostly silent room. Only the clack and click of the machine broke the silence periodically. “No matter... this should be enough to get started and then the world can be drowned in conflict. Soon, I will have all the darkness I could ever wish for. And with that darkness, comes the _power_.”

The man bit his finger and then crouched down to draw a single symbol on the gold, with his blood. Then he channeled some chakra into it, and then the thing lit up with golden light.

“Activate, Ancor Vantian...!”

* * *

Sasuke watched as Naruto worked on the seal. Since the thing was somehow connected to the Jūbi, they would have to seal it, as simply destroying it would mean, that it might be able to reform, if it got enough negative energy to feed on. Which would in turn, would further feed the _Datara_. (Not a good thing, since their primary objective was to _stop_ it, not make it stronger.)

A little ways away, Amaru sat on the ground in front of the ruined steps, her head down, crying. Sasuke twitched — that was the one thing he despised. Crying. Weakness was one thing, it existed to be overcome. But crying... crying meant that the person couldn’t take the consequences of their actions and were expecting _pity_.

He slowly walked up to her and nudged her with the shakujō. “Snap out of it, girl. Only _pathetic_ people cry. It’s fine to make mistakes —everyone makes them.“ Amaru looked up at him, “It’s fine to be sad for making the mistakes. But strenght comes from realising the mistakes and working to correct them. Sitting here and crying and feeling sorry for yourself won’t take you anywhere in life. In fact, sitting here and beating yourself up about the mistake, is what may ruin your life even more.”

Amaru’s breath hitched and the fat tears slipped down her face. “I... I didn’t mean...”

“You didn’t _mean_?“ Sasuke asked sharply, arching an eyebrow, “My brother’s stronger, than he looks. You did nothing, that cannot be healed by some chakra and he can do that for himself. Either snap out of it and decide that you’ll change your life yourself, so something like this won’t happen again or you can sit here and wait for the thing to come back. But then, you’re just going to feed it more power. Do you want _that_?”

Her eyes snapped to him and she shook her head. “ _No!_ I’m here to save the villagers!”

“Then _stand up_ and _do_ it. Crying won’t save them.” he said, eyes flashing.

Amaru blinked, her blue eyes shinier, than normal due to all the tears. After a moment of silence, she wiped her face and stood up. Her eyes steeled over, as their gazes met. “I want to — no, I _will_ save them.”

Sasuke allowed a tiny smirk to appear on his lips. “So you _do_ have the guts, after all, huh? Rare for a civilian...”

“I’m done with the seal!“ Naruto announced, “We can go!”

Sasuke stole his brother a glance, just to see him furl up a big scroll, that had a rather complex seal on it — from this distance, he couldn’t tell if it was a Containment Seal or a space-time one, meant to stuck the creature in a seal-created pocket dimension. Not that it mattered... they will be sending the thing into the dimension and it shall never be brought out again.

Sauske’s eyes narrowed, when he sensed the tremor going trough the place. Something was not right. Neji and Naruto both perked up, probably noticing it as well. “Get _inside_!” he snapped, grabbing Amaru.

Naruto grabbed the scroll and Neji stood up as well. They leapt onto the stairs as even more of the ground broke up. As the great chunks of earth and foilage fell away, he noticed grey stone underneath, which was _rising_... Towers and stairs rose from the ground, until an entire city was underneath them.

But it didn’t stop rising there. The tremors and the energy — the same sickening one he’d felt from the creature,— intensified, until he felt the entire thing rise. Naruto and Neji were right behind them, for which he was grateful.

“What the hell is _this_?“ Neji asked, as the city moved, flying as if it were a feather and not a massive construct of stone and wood.

“We’re flying and we need to get _down_.“ Sasuke said.

Neji scowled. “I noticed. What do we do?“ he asked, as they hurried inside.

He shared a look with Naruto and then both of them looked at the Hyūga. “Go, look for the villagers. We’ll deal with the flying city and the monser.” Naruto said.

Neji gave a nod and then, they split up.

Sasuke huffed, looking at the russet and his brother. “This place gives me creeps. Let’s get done with it fast.” Naruto nodded and then they bolted inside. If they were lucky, the main corridor would take them to the control room, where they could stop this thing.

They only took one turn on the long, shady corridor, when they came across a group of shinobi. Sasuke noted, that they all had the same attire and headband, like the ones who’d attacked Konoha. His Sharingan narrowed on them.

Shinobi of Sora no Kuni.

Even before he could think of using Ninjutsu to get rid of the obstacle, Naruto released a blast of chakra and Killing Intent... Kurama’s chakra. In a flash of speed, he was next to Amaru, his Sharingan morphing, as he pulled up a half-complete Susanno’o to shield them from the chakra, as it burst from Naruto in a wave of searing red.

“What is...?“ Amaru gasped, looking at his Susanno’o and Naruto at once.

“Safety for you and a quick passage, without having to fight. That’s all you have to know.” he said curtly.

The Sora shinobi choked, staring at Naruto with wide, terror-sicken eyes Naruto released another blast of chakra, this time amplified by some wind and it sent the men flying aginst the wall, knocking them out. With the group knocked out, Naruto slowly pulled back the two-tailed cloack and Sasuke allowed Susanno’o to fade. In the distance, he could see some light — they were probably close to the control room.

They shared a look and then moved forwards again, jumping over the unconscious bodies.

The control room was a big, circular place filled with odd, bluish white light and there was a stone throne in the middle of the room. The floor and the walls were full of symbols, that created some sort of seal and the script kept pulsing with energy.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood straight, as he sensed the malvolent energy, more potent, than ever before. So... probably this was the vessel of that disgusting creature.

The walls were full of Fūinjutsu writing and there was a big coccoon, connected to the wall, trough several tubes. And there, in the middle of the room, sitting on the great stone throne, was Shinnō — very much alive and unharmed.

“I’m so very proud of you, children.“ Shinnō said in a measured tone.

Sasuke twitched. He wasn’t a _child_ anymore, thank you very much — the only one, who had the _right_ to call him a child, was his _father_ or perhaps Uncle Hamura. (But neither of them were here.) Amaru‘s face twisted into an odd mix of grief and relief, before she shot forward, right at the old man.

“You... I knew it, _I knew it_!” she jumped at the man with such zeal, that Shinnō sat on the throne, laughing softly, as he hugged the rusett.

Sasuke watched, suspicion growing in his heart. He stole a glance at Naruto — his brother’s expression was blank, but Sasuke could _feel_ the cogs in his mind turning. There was a slight tug at his chakra, as Naruto connected their minds and for a second, he glimpsed Kurama too, laying on the lawn, ears down, his teeth flashing, maw pulled back in a silent, deadly snarl.

 _“Something’s up.“_ Naruto hissed into his mind. _“The man reeks of that twisted energy. Not exactly like a Jinchūriki... but he **is** somehow connected to that Jūbi-wannabe.”_

 _“I’m more concerned about him being alive in general. He did after all, trick an experienced Byakugan-user **and** you.”_ Sasuke shot back.

“I believed in you! I knew you were still alive. I knew you wouldn’t leave me.“ Amaru said, as Shinnō kept stroking her head.

Sasuke eyed the white-haired man, doing his best to appear somewhat surprised. “How are you still alive, Shinnō-san? My brother is a skilled medic and I believe him, if he says you were dead.”

“Let’s see... that’s a tricky one. Even if I explain, I doubt your minds could fully grasp it...“ he said slowly. Sasuke twitched and from the corner of his mind, he saw that Naruto was at the end of his temper, too.

 _“Does the fucker take us for complete fools?!”_ Narto spat. _“He shouldn’t be alive! Did he somehow ditch the rules of Ninshū — and life in general?”_

Sasuke’s gaze shifted. _“I’ve no idea what he could have possibly done. **You** ’re the medic, Otōto.”_

“We’re inside a flying fortress, called _Ancor Vantian_. It looks like ancient ruins, but it’s been painstakingly designed and constructed over several decades by shinobi from Sora no Kuni. It’s the ultimate weapon of destruction.”

Sasuke snarled. Ancor Vantian — it was in the Ancient Language of So no Kuni. (A language he honestly thought had fallen forgotten, with only himself and his siblings remaining the only speakers. Not that they _used_ it, but still...)

“Fortress of the King.“ Sasuke translated, his eyes narrowing. Shinnō looked at him with slight surprise. “You’ve got the _balls_ for sure... to use the Ancient Language of Chakra, you know...”

“Not to mention...“ Naruto added, violet eyes narrowed, “That you’re _goddamn_ good at deception, so it would seem. To deceive a Hyūga of the Byakugan and a medic... because I am a fully trained one. Did you somehow ditch the laws of nature and chakra?”

“Well, you’re a good one, I have to addmit.“ Shinnō nodded. “Your chakra is more powerful, than I thought it would be and then, I hadn’t even felt the Kyūbi from you. So your chakra is either extraditionary or the fame of your Yondaime is not as big, as his knowledge. After you believed I died, which is a convenient side-effect of my best and strongest technique, I revived my damaged organs using my _Nikutai Kassei no Jutsu_.” (Body Revival Techinque)

“Now, I really don’t like what you’re talking about.“ Naruto hissed.

“You still haven’t caught on, yet?“ Shinnō asked, pushing Amaru farther, so he could stand up. He took the cloth from her and tossed her away, tearing her headband to pieces. Naruto moved fast and using some chakra to anchor himself, caught Amaru, who groaned a bit.

“Oh, we caught up.“ Sasuke growled out, as he stole a glance at his brother. “You either want power or you want revenge. Same old, same old.”

“Fourteen years ago, I posed as a doctor and travelled the world, all the while gathering control on how to control the Reibi.“

“ _Reibi_?“ Sasuke growled out. He didn’t like the sound of that —there were only _nine_ Bijū. Plus the primordial god, which was better off forgotten. (Sadly, it _wasn’t_ forgotten, otherwise the Madara- wannabe would not be controlling Jinchūriki.)

“It took me fourteen years to find the scroll, that helped me revive the beast. But find it I did... hidden in Konoha of all places. At last, I mastered the Reibi and its vast power of dark chakra.”

“Dark chakra...“ Naruto murmured, slowly letting go of Amaru and walking up next to him. “That’s _not_ chakra, you fool. Not a sort of power humans meant to control.”

“Wait, _Naruto_...! He’s not behaving like himself. Maybe we can cure him somehow!” Amaru pleaded, catching Naruto’s arm.

Sasuke looked down at the girl, pity sparking in his heart at the sight of her tears. “That’s what he is, kid. A sick fool, who wants power. He tricked you. Once, he’s been a shinobi — and shinobi, retired or active, cheat, lie and kill to achive their goals. This time... the only difference is, that his goals were entirely selfish.”

There was a ripping sound and they shifted their gazes at the man, watching as he tore up Amaru’s bandana. “Wrong diagnosis, Amaru and for once, the Uchiha is correct. Shinobi trick, lie and cheat. When darkness is present in peoples hearts, the Reibi can take hold of them and turn the darkness of their hearts into actual chakra. Once I understood that, it was quite simple.”

“Darkness of the heart...” Naruto said, eyes narrowing.

Shinnō looked smug. “People overcome by despair. When sadness washes over them, people focus great anger and hatred at the source of their misery and in doing so, create the darkest of chakras.”

Sasuke scowled. _‘Dark chakra, huh? The fucker realy just wants to feed the Jūbi. Looks like one doesn’t have to be an Uchiha, to fall head-first into the Nikushimi no Noroi.‘_

“I’ve ordered the attack on your village,“ Shinnō said casually, looking at Amaru, “so the Reibi would possess you.”

“No... you’re lying...”

“He isn’t.” Naruto said, his tone chilly. Amaru froze, “For once in his life, the bastard speaks the truth.”

Shinnō smirked down at the broken girl. “You were nothing but a convenient pawn in my plan.” he said, laughing manically.

Sasuke gave the man a deadpan stare. _‘Shinju... he’s lost it.‘_

He stole a glance at Naruto. _“Otōto? Was I like this too? When Zetsu had hold of me?”_

Naruto gave him a half-sheepish, half-sad look. _“Kind of. Hate is power, gonna rule the world... all that manic speech. And the laugh too.”_

 _“Kami... tie me down, if something like that ever happens. Oh and use a Silencing Seal or something. Please. This fucker is completely mad. I don’t ever want to be like that again. Hurts my head even listening to him.”_ he said in disgust.

 _“You won’t be, Nī-sama. We’re sticking together, no matter what.”_ Naruto assured him, as their gazes returned to the mad doctor.

“Haha, after you saved a person’s life, they’ll never doubt you about anything at all.“

Naruto spat at Shinnō. “ _Bastard_. You don’t just abuse people’s trust, like a toy you can throw away, when you get tired of it!”

Sasuke’s eyes shifted, as he felt the power rise in the room and slowly, dark energy — black as sooth— surrounded Shinnō. Amara was on the floor, crying and clutching her head.

 _“Nī-sama. The place is full of negative energy. If we don’t stop the fucker soon, it’s going to unhinge my senses.“_ Naruto said, and then his eyes landed on Amaru. “Snap out of it, Amaru!”

Sasuke felt a tendril of calming Mokuton chakra sneak towards Amaru and wrap around her. He turned away, reassured, that his brother had an eye on the rusett. With burning Sharingan, he turned to the man. “You’re going to pay very, _very_ dearly for this.”

He leapt at the man, but as Shinnō raised his hand, a great gust of wind came, throwing him back. Sasuke cursed and flipped in the air, landing in a crouch. Shit... that was _indeed_ a fraction of the Jūbi’s power... and trough it, the bastard had actual control over the elements. Just as they could use Ninshū to maipulate nature itself.

“Dark chakra isn’t only used to reawaken the Reibi. It has other uses too. For example, it can do _this_...“ the chakra output grew, covering Shinnō in a dark cloud and Sasuke could feel his stomach doing flips. Gods, this energy was _disgusting_. (How could Naruto stand it? With his special sensory and Kurama sharpening his senses eve more, he was sure Naruto felt this about ten times worse.)

The enegry whirled around the man restlessly, until it created a vortex. Then, when the whirlwind faded, Shinnō stood tall and young, his hair now black, his body showing signs of immense improvement.

“That was the _Nikutai_ _Kassei no Jutsu._ In this form, I can open all of the _Hachimon_ without any drawbacks.”

They shared a look and then Naruto jumped right at Shinnō, fist cocked back. The man caught it, but his eyes went wide in surprise. “What is... are you using chakra-agumented strenght? Impressive feat of control, from a Jinchūriki.”

Sasuke appered behind the man in a precise _Shunshin_ and delivered his own blow. Not expecting it, Shinnō went tumbling forwards and Naruto used that chance to step aside and deliver another chakra packed punch.

Shinnō went skidding forth on the floor with a groan. Sasuke darted forwards, but Naruto was faster. As Shinnō stood, his brother was already there, his cold as the northest lands of Yuki no Kuni. “You’re a fool, if you think we’ll let you get away with trying to destroy the Nations for power or for revenge. Love and camardire, are things that matter.”

He punched Shinnō again and the man groaned, as Naruto flared his chakra. This time the punch sent the bastard flying badly enough so that he damaged his own throne in flight. As Naruto’s chakra flared, Sasuke smiled at the calming, serene feel.

Ah, _yes_ — the feel of safety and nature. Warm and welcoming. That feel... that was what he could never make his chakra feel like. Sure, if he was careful what he allowed people to feel, they’d feel the warmth and oft prickling — but otherwise, on a daily basis, his chakra had the more dangerous feel to it, so he’d been told. Altough, Naruto only seemed to sense the heat, that came with his mastery of Katon and simply drew comfort from that, where others ended up running. (But then again, his brother had always done the opposite, of what he was supposed to.)

Shinnō’s eyes went wide. “What is happening? My chakra...”

Sasuke saw the black energy rise and he smirked. Maybe when their father compared Asura to the Sun, it was a bit more, than figure speech. With all that love and positivity in him, his brother _was_ indeed like a miniature Sun, whose very presence meant hope. And his chakra reflected that —all life and light. Which was completely opposed to this dark _whatever_ , hence why it was slipping from the man’s grasp.

Seeing his chance, Sauske sparked his own chakra and with a flick of his fingers, his technique was flying. **‘Ninshū: Raibari.‘** (Shinobi Creed: Lightning Needles)

Then suddenly, the wall came tumbling down and four individuals stood on the other side, all of them dressed similarly and their chakra felt quiet cold. They had sneers on their faces, as they approached.

“So we finally found you.“ the only female of the group said. She had bright red hair, which would have fit a pureblood Uzumaki any day. However, her chakra was completely different. It was nowhere near as massive and more _fluid_ — more accustomated to Genjutsu, than the great chakra cost of Nin- or Fūinjutsu.

“Orochimaru-sama requires your assistance, _doctor_.“ the one with six arms said.

Sasuke frowned, as his eyes scanned the strangers. What sort of abominations of nature were they? One had six arms and another one had two heads — altough only one seemed to be conscious.

“Oh? And why should I help him?“ Shinnō asked.

“Well, you can come with us quietly, or we can use force.“ the big, orange-haired one pointed out.

“You can’t force me to do anything. With this technique, I’m stronger than you all!“

Sasuke’s gaze flickered over the man and he could barely resist a smirk. _‘Any second now. One, two, three...‘_ “Go ahead then. Come at us.“ he taunted.

Shinnō growled and leapt at the four newcomers, who backpedalled to avoid the attack. Sasuke scowled. Naruto appeared in fornt of the man and punched him again. Shinnō stumbled back, but his yellow eyes were full of anger.

“You little...!” he released more of the foul energy, which formed the black aura around him again. The remants of his Raibari sunk into the man’s body and even without a Byakugan, he knew they’d closed off several of his tenketsu.

Shinnō suddenly stood up straight, his eyes narrowing and a painful grunt leaving his lips. Then he fell to his knees, crying out in pain, curling in on himself for a second. The energy flickered out of existance and his body started deteriorating and aging several decades in seconds. His muscles disappeared, leaving thin, frial body and his mane-like black hair, became white, falling off, leaving him mostly bald.

Sasuke allowed a smirk to cross his lips at the scene. _“And... score goes to_ _Ōtsutsuki Indra.”_

Naruto rolled his eyes and Kurama huffed into his mind, altough trough the link they shared, he could feel both of his brothers’ satisfaction.

“What’s the matter?“ Sasuke asked, as the man looked up at him with a spark of fear and hate, “Can’t heal yourself?“

“ _What_ have you done?” he rasped out.

“My brother is a medic, you fool. I can’t use the Arts, but I know enough. The moment chakra control is ruined, it’s all over. When you have the right tool...“ he flicked his fingers, to show his _Raibari_ forming on the tips for a second, before flicking the crackling needles at the cocoon.

To his shock, there was no harm done to the substenance. His eyes narrowed. _“What the...?”_

 **“It absorbed the chakra.”** Kurama said.

The beast inside shrieked sharply, starting to move. “Oh do you like _that_? The Reibi absorbs others’ chakra and converts it to power for itself. Any chakra you release here, will be more fuel for Ancor Vantian, which means you can’t do a thing.”

“Hey, old man! I don’t care what you do with these two Konoha fools, you know why we came!” the redhead shouted, obviously losing her patience.

Shinnō huffed. “Orochimaru doesn’t want me, kid...“ his hand passed over a part of the wall to reveal a secret compartment, inside it, a scroll. “He wants _this_.“ he grabbed the scroll and tossed it. The six-armed abomination caught it, smirking widely.

“Now, I like this.“ the two-headed one said, “We have it, so let’s go.“

Sasuke grit his teeth and looked at Naruto. There was a pulse of energy, as Shinnō released more of his chakra and the cocoon moved, growing tentacles, which then wrapped around the man and raised him up.

The four strangers backed up. Sasuke’s Sharingan flickered to them. “ _Let them go... we have this bastard to deal with for now. Snake-face and his minions can wait.”_

 _“Agreed.“_ Naruto answered, as the cocoon completely sallowed Shinnō.

“Do you really think Ancor Vantian was just a fancy floating fortress and just for its sake, I would dare to meddle with a Bijū, just to have it flying?!”

 _“Did... that bastard just compare that **abomination** to our **siblings**?“_ Naruto snarled.

Sasuke’s Sharingan spun wildly. That was crossing the line. _“So it seems.”_

“You sick _fool_. That... inside the cocoon, whatever _appariation_ it is,“ he spat, “is _not_ a Bijū and comparing it to the Nine is plain insulting!”

“With this power... with this ultimate weapon of destruction, I will bring the end of the Godaikoku!” he called before the slime completely sallowed him up. The cocoon started glowing and the released energy ran across the walls, lightint up the Fūinjutsu symbols in bright blue. The energy made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Vile and static at the same time — not a nice combination.

* * *

**_Outside:_ **

The energy filled the Ancor Vantian and then it got released in a great, condensed, bright-yellow beam, tearing trough forest and mountain, like hot knife trough butter. Miles away, on the shore, where Shikamaru, Shino and Kakashi were still keeping an eye out for the enemy, watched the beam pass over the water, destroying the dry land in its wake and electrolucing the water.

They had to leap backwards, to avoid the sharp arcs of electricity, travelling across the liquid. Wide-eyed and shocked, their gazes flickered in the direction where the beam had disappeared and to where it had come from.

Shikamaru choked. _‘What... what just happened?‘_

Kakashi’s lone eye settled resolutely on the spot, where the energy had first appeared. _‘Naruto, Sasuke... are you two alright?‘_

* * *

**_Inside Anchor Vantian:_ **

The entire room shook with the released energy, before the light of the seals dimmed, but the cocoon remained glowing.

“You see? That is the power of Sora no Kuni!” Shinnō called, his voice bouncing about the room.

The creature moved inside its restraints again, this time looking at them. It seemed the man could somewhat control that thing... “And after I destroyed each of the Godaikoku, I can create the Sky Empire!”

“You’re insane, if you think we’re going to allow that!” Naruto spat. He grabbed the shakujō from his back and after sharing a brief glance with Sasuke, they ran at the beast. It grew chakra arms from the cocoon, which he avoided, by leaping over them. Sadly, however, there were too many chakra arms and despite severing many, they were still caught.

* * *

Neji ran trough the winding corridors, following the strange not-quiet-chakra. He’d come across a few guards, but a few fire imbuded chakra strikes dealt with them. He was sure, this was a situation, where he was allowed to kill. These madmen had bombarded Konoha, so it was time for some sort of payback anyway.

He took another turn and skidded to a halt, when he found the villagers, all of them huddled in one cell, downtrodden and quiet. The hair-raising, dark energy sourrounded them so thickly, that he thought it might choke them.

_‘Shit, the bars are full of Fūinjutsu shikki and there’s chakra — energy— running inside. If I touch it, I might get shocked or worse. Hmm... maybe I should have asked Asura for some Fūinjutsu training, while he’d been helping Hikaru with Sensory?‘_

His gazed travelled over the room and then he noticed the small circular control panel above his head. It was where the chakra was concentrated. He smirked. “Gotcha!”

He ran trough the familiar handseals and formed a single blazing projectile. **“Katon: Moeru Hari.”** (Fire Release: Burning Needle)

He tossed the needle up, right into the middle of the circle, which broke and cracked with energy, before blowing up. The people inside the cell were jolsted to attention, just as the seals flickered out and the lock clicked.

Neji sighed in relief and opened the door, waving at the people. “Get out, now!” he said, “We’ve to hurry.”

* * *

 _“What now?“_ Sasuke asked. _“We can’t seal him like this!”_

Naruto growled. _“No... it will just absorb all the chakra meant to power the seal. I can’t use Kurama’s either, because that would feed him even more and I refuse to feed that **thing** any more of his chakra. It would eventually feed the Jūbi and...”_

 _“But it’s not the Jūbi. It obviously doesn’t have that sort of inteligence. It seeks out negativity, but it is entirely human controlled.“_ Sasuke thought back.

Naruto gave him a deadpan stare. _“Obviously.”_

_“No... I mean, you put seals on my shakujō and I managed to fill the seals with Nature Chakra. Uncontrolled Nature Chakra turns the host into stone. If it’s encased in stone, you may have enough time to seal it.”_

Naruto grinned and nodded. _“And that’s why you’re the Ninshū no Tensai, Nī-sama. Go along.”_

Sasuke struggled a bit to free his hand and Shinnō’s voice filled the air again, from inside the beast. “What do you hope to achieve? You cannot win against a Bijū!”

“For the thousandth time, you _fucker_...“ Sasuke snarled, as he freed his arm, “do _not_ compare that abomination to our **_siblings_**!” and what that, he drove the lower end of his shakujō into the chakra arm, which caused the leech to shriek. **“Hokan Fūin: Kai!”** (Storage Seal: Release)

The weapon lit up with soft green light and released the chakra. As expected, the appariation immediately started to absorb the great quanities of energy. But moments after the process started, the chakra arms started to turn into stone.

“Wh-what are you doing? What is this?” Shinnō demanded, enraged.

“The dangerous beauty of Senjutsu.“ Sasuke smirked and Naruto rolled his eyes at the choice of words, “Uncontrolled Natural Energy turns the thing its injected with, into stone.”

**_“No!”_ **

“But _yes_!” Naruto growled, as chakra chains appeared from his back, lodging onto the wall, ruining the seal sequence. Another plus point for them, he guessed. He grabbed Sasuke and he yanked on the chains, which freed them from the now-stone chakra arms.

They landed on the floor and he grabbed the scroll from his back and unfurled it. He channeled some of Kurama’s chakra, to sharpen his nails and slashed his other palm, to draw blood. He put his bloody hand in the middle of the array and channeled regular chakra.

 **“Uzumaki Fūin Shiki: Akuma Fūjikome!”** (Uzumaki Sealing Style: Demon Containment)

The seal lit up in yellow and spread outwards from the scroll and then chakra chains appeated from it, wrapping around the stone cocoon. With a great pull, the cocoon was broken off of the tubes — which had also turned into stone— and dragged into the seal with a great flash.

The seal remained glowing a searing orange for a few seconds, before the symbols receded onto the scroll again and settled back, as it had originally been drawn, now completely black. He grinned at Sasuke. “Your turn.”

However, even before anything else could be done, there was a massive tremor and they watched, as the wall broke apart, the stones coming down. “What the hell?” Naruto growled, as they watched the whole thing fall apart.

“It seems Shinnō did speak true about the Reibi powering this thing. Now that it’s sealed, it’s coming apart.“

There was another great rumble and the ceiling came down on them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And cut! :D Almost done with this Arc. Please leave comments and share your opinion. Your comments are like chocolate and coffee! They give energy and make me happy.
> 
> PS, the chapter is 6666 words long. Is that bad? You know... the many sixes in one place...


	55. The Next Step

Neji cursed, as he felt the whole fortress tremble. The villagers were now safely inside one of the flying devices, that the Sora-nin had developped, which was a great relief.

“Get inside!” he told Amaru.

The girl’s eyes flashed stubbornly. “ _No!_ What about you, Naruto and Sauske?”

“Don’t worry about us, Amaru-san.“ he said calmly. “We’re shinobi. We can get out of tough spots like this.”

 _‘I hope either Naruto or Sasuke have a plan about getting out or we’ll die very, **very** young. They might reincarnate, but I won’t and I’d like to have a long life, thank you very much.‘_ he thought.

“But...“

“Just _stay seated,_ Amaru.“ he said sternly, which surprised her. “I’ll launch the device and if the calculations are correct, it will land on the beach, near the spot where some of my comardes are. They’ll get treatment for the few who need it and then get you home.“

Her eyes were wide, as he _Shunshin_ ed over to the control panel and pulled the arm. The flying device was launched and he watched with a spark of relief. At least this mess will only have three casualities.

“Misson complete.“ he murmured, “They’re safe.“ he watched it manouver towards the general direction of the beach for a moment, before he turned away.

If they died here, he’d prefer to die with some company. He hurried inside, Byakugan active, looking for the brothers. He didn’t have to look for long, because the two were heading striaght for him. Naruto’s chakra levels were lower, than usual, so he supposed it was thanks to him, that this mess was over — and as an undesired consequence, the fortress was coming apart.

“ _Neji!_ “ Sasuke called, “Amaru and the...?”

“I found them and I met Amaru on the way. All of them are safe, I sent them off on one of the flying devices here. But that was the only one... so we kind of can’t get out.”

They hurried out, dodging the falling stones, only to end up on the launching platform again. He gestured at the tracks. “I sent them off, as you can see, but that was the only device and it was filled to the brim anyway.” he sighed, as the ruins kept plumeting towards the water, “Any plans? Or should I say it was a honour to meet and learn from you?”

The two of them shared a look. “Don’t give up just yet, Neji. Ninshū rule two — _Never lose hope_.”

“Oh, my apologies _Almighty Tsuki no Uraishi_. Do you perhaps have a plan, how do we get off of this place, before the crash kills us? If not the crash, than the water...”

“Yes, in fact, I do.“ Sasuke said seriously and then Neji saw his eyes bleed into red, but instead of the three tomoe, he saw the six-pointed star.

“Nī-sama, if you want to pull this off, you might need some chakra.” Naruto offered, as they linked hands. Sasuke looked uncomfortable, but it was obvious, he knew the blonde was right. Neji offered his own hand.

“Take some from me too. I’m nowhere near as powerful as you, but whatever you’re planning to do, might just save us and this is the least I can do.“

Sasuke looked surprised, before one corner of his lips curled upwards, despite the dire situaion. “Arigato.”

They linked hands and then Naruto’s chakra spiked. **“Ninshū: Chakura Hōjū.”** (Ninja Creed: Chakra Sharing)

Neji gasped, as Naruto’s dense — lively— chakra entered his system, passing trough him, pushing some of his own chakra out. Sasuke waited a few moments and then slowly, a soft flame of purplish blue formed around him, the complex pattern in his eyes spinning fast. Sasuke’s eyes landed on him and Neji found that even without a Genjutsu in effect, the gaze was almost hipnotic.

“Do you trust me, Neji?“ he asked.

Neji nodded without hesitation. After all that he’d seen and gone trough after the Chūnin Exams, he had no reason to doubt these two. “Completely.“ he answered without missing a beat.

“Good.“ Sasuke said.

Then, both of them started running and Neji stumbled a bit before he found the rythm to keep up with them. Then, even before he had the chance to protest, or ask questions they jumped.

As the wind rushed past them, tearing his hair out of its restaints, Neji cursed. _‘Maybe I was too hasty with that answer?‘_

* * *

Kakashi sighed, as they helped the last of the civilians out of the flying device. Everyone was safe— but, where were his pseudo little brothers? And Neji?

Concealing his worry, he turned to the russet, who’d asked for help in the first place. Her name was Amari... or Amaru, yes, Amaru. “Where are my students and Neji?“

Her bright eyes brimmed with tears. “Naruto and Sasuke stayed to deal with Shi-Shinnō. He tricked us — he was the one to order the attack. He led the foreign ninja. He wanted to destroy the Five Nations with...” she hicupped, “Naruto and Sasuke stayed to deal with him, while I went to look for the villagers. Neji freed them in the meanwhile and he sent us up. He stayed back to launch this thing.“ she hicupped again, “I don’t know what happened to Narto and Sasuke, but since the ruins are heading straight for the ocean, I think they won...” more tears slipped down her face.

Kakashi turned away and watched helplessly with grief and dread, as in the distance, the ruins of Sora no Kuni plummeted towards the ocean.

* * *

Neji gasped, as he saw the chakra around Sasuke take shape. First, massive purple ribs and then a skeleton... which them formed into a humanoid shape and then got equipped with samurai armour and massive wings.

 **“Kongen: Susano’o!“** Sasuke exclaimed. (Origin: He with the Ability to Help by All Means)

The warrior’s form condensed around them and Neji actually found his feet planted on solid chakra, the three of them were inside what seemed to be a dome, as the massive tengu-like chakra creation flew trough the air. That was an unexpected, but welcome change. Instead of falling to their deaths with the ruins, they were _flying_.

He activated his Byakugan and looked around — and indeed. The whole thing was condensed, physically visible chakra. (And some people in his clan said, that Sauske’s chakra was weak, compared to what Naruto had. Oh, what fools!) As he allowed his eyes to fade, he looked at the two. “What is _this_?”

“ _Susanno’o_. An abilty of the Mangakyō Sharingan. Allows the one in posession of the Dōjutsu to mainfest an avatar from their own chakra, that acts on their behalf. Attack, defence, supplementary... whichever you need.” Sasuke explained matter of factly.

Neji hummed. “ _Neat_. But... doesn’t it cost much chakra?”

“It costs more, than most abilities accessible trough Mangekyō, but it doesn’t cost as much, as you assume.“ Sasuke said. “But I’ll definitely be light-headed by the time we land.”

Neji sighed in relief. So this meant they would be able to land safely. He stumbled a bit, as Sasuke steered, the avatar towards the coast, but the Uchiha caught him. “Hey, careful. If it sets you off so much, you can use some chakra, to stick to the surface. Otōto does that all the time.”

“I might just do that too.“ he murmured, happy, when Sasuke dragged him back on steady feet.

* * *

Kakashi’s eye went wide, when he caught sight of the massive purple something, flying towards them. He pulled up his headband to see what it was and his jaw went slack under the mask — chakra. Pure chakra.

Susanno’o... Sasuke pulled off Susanno’o again? Huh, he hadn’t even registered the first time around, that the avatar had wings. Well, all the better — it meant his students would be safe.

“What is _that_?“ asked Shino from next to him.

Kakashi hummed. “That, Shino, is the reason you should _never_ piss of Uchiha Sasuke.“

* * *

Naruto was weary to the bone, when they finally made it back to Konoha. Sasuke looked like he would sleep for an entire day, not that Naruto was surprised. After expelling chakra to fight that _thing_ , he still pulled off Susanno’o for a pretty long time, to land them on the beach.

And, while on the way back, they stopped at the ruins of Amaru’s village and they worked their not-so-little “miracle“, as the villagers called it. Sasuke burned down the still smoldering, smoking ruins and then, they burried it all under the ground. The ash would do well for the soil, after all. And then, with a little Ninshū and Mokuton, the place was revitalised and sturdy houses made of chakra enhanced ironwood were raised out of the ground.

He told the people, that he’d rather not grow their food, as such food had big quanities of chakra in them, that civilians usually couldn’t stand (especially not _his_ chakra, with how powerful and dense it was). However, he assured them, that the crops would partially absorb some of the chakra expelled now, which would make sure, that their food grew a bit faster, than normal. The people were so happy, that the joyous calls of “saviours“ followed them during their short stay at the village and they even echoed for a good five minutes after leaving.

But now they were back in the village, which was the best thing of the week, Naruto decided. It seemed the village was in bad shape, but not as bad, as he would have thought. Ninja and civilians were busy with the repairs, but as they passed, the people stopped to stare and then greet them with wide smiles, exagerated bows and loud calls of “Long live the Senju!”, “Long live the Uchiha!” and “Arigato, Senju-sama, Uchiha-sama!“.

“You can’t be _serious_.“ Sasuke murmured. “We weren’t even _here_. How the hell do they know we _saved_ them?”

Kakashi chuckled next to them. “Some, who know you better cleared up some confusion about the chains and the white fire, altough both are pretty unique and known. And there was a squad we sent back here, while you caught your breath, to depart for Amaru’s village. I bet the squad’s report is flying around as an exagerated rumour, by now. Hence the villagers’ enthusiasm.”

Naruto chuckled, as they continoued the treck trough the village. They were too tired — mentally speaking, altough the ache in the muscles couldn’t be ignored either,— to properly concentrate and hop along the rooftops. So instead, they walked like civilians, leaning on their shakujō for a bit of extra support.

Suddenly a girl with blue hair — about nine— ran up to them, offering a small basket. The mouthwatering scent of freshly baked goods filled Naruto’s nose and he needed all his self-control not to snatch it rudely from her grasp, as his stomach knotted with hunger.

“Thank you for saving us, Uchiha-sama, Senju-sama!“ she said happily, offering the basket.

Naruto smiled and he shared a short glance with his brother. Sasuke took a step closer and took the basket from her with a small smile. “Thank you. But Konoha’s our home too, so we’ll keep it safe.”

Naruto hummed and gently grasped her wrist. She looked up at him with wide grey eyes. “Your name, little one?”

“Ayako.“ she answered shyly.

Naruto smiled. “Beautiful name.“ he spiked his chakra a bit and her eyes snapped to their joint hands. As he pulled back, there was a small wreath of flowers curled around her wrist. Her eyes went wide with wonder and then she looked up at him.

“B-beautiful, a-arigato.”

“You’re welcome. Thank you for the food.” he said. She beamed at him again and then she hurried away and Naruto spotted her standing with her parents, proudly showing the flowers to them.

“Let’s go you two, or we’ll never reach the office to report.“ Kakashi nudged them, “If we don’t report, you don’t get to rest.”

Naruto threw the silver-haired Jōnin a nasty look, before they continoued towards the Hokage Office. Gods knew this would be a long report.

* * *

“Seems you’re heroes again.“ Itachi said in greeting, as they stumbled into the house.

Sasuke smiled wryly at his brother. “Well, you see, Onī-san, being the sons of a man, like Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo means, that we have things to keep in mind. Things to prioritize and _peace_ is of utmost priority.”

Itachi huffed sotly, altough Sasuke could see his dark eyes flash fondly. “Of course, of course. But you chided me about taking care of myself and now look at you. Off you go. Rest. I’ll get some food ready, so you can eat.“

“Any special wishes?“

They shared a look and then he looked at Itachi again. “My godmother’s hommade ramen with extra _naruto_ on top, please.“ he laughed. Behind him Naruto was muttering, that his name “totally meant _mealstorm_ , thank you very much“, with a sulky look on his face, but in the end, he laughed too.

Itachi chuckled, ruffling his hair. (And his dignity be damned as one of the strongest people of the world, he enjoyed when Itachi did that.) “Very well. Get a shower and a change of clothes. I think for the next few days you’ll be free, so you can recuperate from this.”

* * *

_**A few days later:** _

Sasuke hummed, looking down at the Genjutsu seal he’d been tampering with, as a form of rest, after Naruto helped clear up some small things about how such things should work. He knew his fair share of Fūinjutsu, yes, but Naruto was still better and he preferred to have his brother check his experiments, before he blew up half of Konoha. His chakra was certainly powerful enough and the powerful affinity towards Fire/Lightning didn’t help at all. In fact, it further increased his chakra’s volatile nature.

It was night and the sky was inky blue, most of the village asleep by now. He could only sense a few passing ANBU patrols here and there, otherwise the village was dark — only the Akasen’s lights still bright. Otherwise, only the full moon provided him with light, but that wasn’t a problem. Shinobi learned to operate in the dark and being a wielder of the Sharingan, meant that his vision was naturally sharper, than a normal person’s. The fact, that his eyes were currently active, to help him spot every little curve of the seal, further sharpened his vision.

So it wasn’t hard to spot the faint movement and the signature, just a shadow of a real shinobi. It felt vaguely familiar, malvolent in a way and it made him tense. “Who’s there?” he called out, voice as chilling, as a Hyōton-user’s signaure.

The shadows moved fast — if not for his Sharingan, he would have said it was too fast, to be followed— and then, several feet away, a familiar formless shadow appeared, now looking more human, than ever, altough still mostly featureless. But the round, unnaturally-yellow eyes were unmistakable.

**“Indra-sama.”**

“Zetsu.” he spoke, careful to keep his voice as blank and commanding, as the creature had always known it. “You’re still around?”

 **“So you remember... I was waiting for your return.“** it answered, bowing a bit, **“I hoped you may remember, during one of the reincarnations.”**

“It happened now.“ he answered in a blank tone, “I remember.”

 **“And Asura’s current incarnate?“** it prodded.

“ _Naruto?“_ he asked sharply, trying to sneak as much hate and contempt into his voice, as possible, “He has the same signature, yes and the Mokuton again, like at the Dawn, but naught else. He’s clueless. I would think, that it’s Kyūbi, who stopped him from remembering. It does have a great dislike for our lines.”

**“Good. It means we may proceed. This time, Asura won’t be able to stop us— you from reaching your goal. You may have the power and the world shall know true peace, under your guidence.”**

Sauske twitched inwardly. He’d noticed the small slip up — us— so that was it. Zetsu had never wanted him in power. No, it wanted itself and the Shinju in control.

**“There is a relative of yours. He had the Sanbi under his control, until yourself and the Senju interwened. It hindered us somewhat. I came to tell you, that he may yet be useful. It’s unneeded to hinder him. He is nowhere near as powerful as you, but he is skilled nonetheless.”**

Sauske scowled. “You call _that_ power? _Jayanta_ had more power, when he was a child and Shachi did not have the Sharingan.” he said.

Zetsu dipped his head. **“I’m aware of that, Indra-sama. However, as you know, many are hindered by mortal limits, the way you never were. Those who are involved in this, may yet prove useful. You only have to deal with Asura’s current incarnate.“**

Sasuke hummed, giving Zetsu a sharp look. The creature shrunk under it. “You **_dare_** _ordering_ me?“ he growled out, releaseing a wave of Killing Intent, his eyes morphing into the Mangakyō.

Zetsu’s eyes went wide and then he bowed low. **“Iie, iie, Indra-sama. Never. I was merely making a suggestion. Asura’s incarnate may prove an obstacle in the future.”**

“An obstacle I _will_ deal with, in the right time. That has yet to wait, he is the Kyūbi’s host, something I’m sure you know. His continoued existance may yet prove useful or at least, entertaining. Do not be impatient. Now that I am fully reborn, I shall not make the same _mistakes_ , as before. For now, let the fools believe, I stand with them. And when he does not expect, Amaterasu’s flames will consume all he loves and so, I shall have what is _rightfully_ mine.“

Zetsu nodded again. **“Of course, of course. Shall I proceed then? With the plan?”**

Sasuke gave a small nod. “You may.”

 **“Thank you, Indra-sama.“** Zetsu bowed again and then turned away, to disappear into the shadows.

However, before he disappeared completely, Sasuke called out. “Zetsu.”

The creatuure stopped and peered at him with those unnerving, round yellow eyes. **“Hai, Indra-sama?“**

“Who’s the _child_ that dances to our tunes?“ he asked, once more trying to sneak some contemt into his tone.

Zetsu’s mouth curved into an unnerwingly wide, sharp smile. It reminded him too much of the Reibi and he needed all his willpower not to shudder. **“A decendant of yours. His name is Uchiha Obito.”** and with that, Zetsu was gone.

Sasuke groaned tiredly, as he fell onto the cold, dewy grass. _‘Best actor of the millenia award goes to_ _Ōtsutsuki Indra. Yippee!‘_

* * *

The next morning, as they sat by the three of them sat by the table, he decided to break the news. “Last night, Zetsu paid me a _friendly_ visit.”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed and Itachi choked on his bite. He coughed and Sasuke hurriedly patted his back. After a moment, he was fine again, which was a relif. Itachi frowned. “What does _Zetsu_ want from _you_?“

“What do you know of Zetsu, ’tachi?“

Itachi shook his head. “Not much. Only that his two halves— a white and a black one— can sometimes act seperately, for a short amount of time. He is Akatsuki’s spy and Madara’s ear and mouth in the organization. Altough, I’m unaware how much of an infulence he has in the happenings.”

Sasuke nodded. “Well, I don’t know anything about a white half... because I only know one Zetsu. Dark and formless, like a shadow. Now... it was Zetsu, who manipulated me into trying to kill Otōto. His machinations sparked the Senju-Uchiha bloodshed. Back in the past, he claimed to want to help me get my spot as the _rightful_ Heir... but at this point I really doubt he wanted that. He has his own agenda and he’s using Akatsuki to get there.”

“Zetsu’s that old?“ Itachi murmured, choking on his food again. Before Sasuke could answer that, Naruto added his own two cents.

“ _Wonderful_.“ Naruto grunted, “What happened?“

Sasuke shook his head. “Nothing much. I made him believe you were entirely clueless of your past life and that I despise you still. I made him believe, I still had my old lets-bring-peace-trough-power objective in mind. I think I deserve an award for good acting skills.“ he smiled wryly. “Anyway... I managed to scare him a bit...“

“You _scared_ _Zetsu_?“ Itachi asked in shock.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Naive, _naive_ Onī-san. Being the Son of the Rikudō Sennin means equal parts respect and fear. And... I might have been a bit... bloody in the past, hence why Zetsu is wary.”

“U-uh, okay.“ Itachi murmured, his eyes just a fraction wider, than normal.

“So, I managed to scare him a bit and got the real name of the Madara-wannabe.”

Both of his brothers eyes went wide, and Sasuke couldn’t help the triumphant smirk, that crossed his features. He waited a bit for extra effect, which caused both of them to lean closer to him in anticipation. “Uchiha Obito.”

Itachi choked again.

* * *

After the initial shock, Itachi filled them in about Obito and both of them had been a bit taken aback by the information. To think a loved student of Namikaze Minato — an embodiment of the Will of Fire— would turn away from everything... to plan the destruction of the world... It was just a bit too much.

However, they really didn’t have time to worry about that. They may know, who was behind the mask, but it didn’t mean, that they could be careless — Obito had proved, that he was dangerous and that he was willing to do anything, to achieve his goals. But their frantic discussion and planning (they decided not to tell Kakashi, as it might break him), was broken by a hurried knock on the door.

Naruto darted over and opened it, to find a wide-eyed Hinata standing in the door. Her emotions and body language were a total mess. Fear, worry, confusion... “Hinata?”

“N-Naruto, please come. Fast. Neji’s sick and it seems to be very bad. I’m worried. We all are.”

His eyes went wide and for a second, their worries about Zetsu and Obito were shoved into the background. Neji needed help. “Nī-sama!” he called sharply and then he leapt out the door.

Sasuke was there in a flash, cofused only for a second. Then, his eyes hardened, as he saw the trembling, worried Hinata. Naruto grabbed Hinata and then they were gone in a _Shunshin_.

* * *

**_Hyūga Compound:_ **

As they landed in front of the house, Hinata wretched herself from his grasp and ran inside, her usual composure nowhere to be seen. Naruto threw a worried look at Sauske and then they hurried inside. The many Hyūga they passed greeted them with soft, strained smiles. The worry was palpable in the air. So, the entire Clan knew of Neji’s condition.

Hinata took two turns and they followed her wordlessly. Then she stopped at one of the tatami doors not far from where the Main Family’s living quarters were. Now that the Clan stood united, Hiashi had taken Neji into his guardianship and in an unofficial way, he was also seen as a member of the Main Family and thus, he got new place to live.

She tore the tatami open and hurried in. Neji’s room was homey and well-organised, a lot like Sasuke’s, Naruto noted. Altough, where his brother preferred red, purple, blue and black with some white thrown in, as the room’s colours, Neji’s were mostly pastel colours with some brown and black.

Neji was curled on his bed, obviously in pain and Hiashi sat next to him on a chair. Little Hanabi sat on the bed, one of her hands curled into Neji’s.

They walked over and Naruto crouched next to Neji. “Neji... hey, can you here me?“ he called softly.

Neji grunted. “Yeah. It... just hurts so _much_.”

Naruto frowned in worry. He looked at Hiashi to ask what happened, but Sasuke beat him to it. “When did this happen?”

Hiashi sighed. “Since you came back form dealing with the Sora-nin he did say he was feeling odd. Some of our medics cheked him and they said it might just be exhaustion and stress, so he spent the days resting. This morning he said he was feeling a bit better, so when Akio asked him for a spar, he agreed. A few minutes into the spar, when he used _Kaiten_... it was suddenly cut off and he collapsed in pain.”

Naruto frowned, his hands glowing green, as he ran a quick check. “Where does it hurt?“

“ _Everywhere_.“ Neji whined, “As if my chakra was burning. But... I think my eyes are the worst.”

 _‘Shit, if a Dōjutsu-uses says that... it’s never good.‘_ he thought in worry. His hands kept glowing and then his eyes went wide, a he felt it.

“What...?” he murmured. _‘Just how did that happen?‘_

“What’s wrong with him?“ Hanabi asked, her usual composure breaking. In that moment, she looked very much like the young girl she was.

“His chakra is _burning_. It’s in chaos. Shot his control and everything else in his body. That’s why he feels the pain — because his chakra isn’t flowing the way it’s supposed to. Something... chakra is in balance within the body, hence why we can use it in various ways. Right now, he does not have that balance in his body.”

“Can you do something?“ Hiashi asked.

Naruto’s eyes flickered to the suffering Neji. Curled in a ball, his eyes squeezed shut, a few tears streaming down his face. “I might be able to, but it may hurt.”

“It can’t be worse than _this_ , Naruto.“ Neji murmured, “Just make it _stop_.”

He nodded and then channeled some chakra, carefully mixing the regualr healing chakra with some Mokuton. **“Ninshū: Chitose no Iyashi.”** (Shinobi Creed: Thousand Years of Healing)

The green chakra gained a soft gold undertone and then he placed his hands on Neji. One on his forehead, the other above his heart. Slowly, Neji’s pose eases and his muscles relaxed. Naruto felt, that minute by minute, the burning chaos was lessening, turining into the natural, soft flow. He allowed himself to feel some relief...

_Click._

His breath shuddered at the sudden feeling, as his chakra lurched in Neji’s body. It was as if something had been put back in place. Something, that had been misplaced and burried for a long while. Shaking his head, he finished the healing, running his hands over the Hyūga’s body.

After good five seconds, he drew away, letting the chakra from his hands flicker out. “Are you okay now?“

Neji smiled. “Yeah. Feels much better. Calm.” he huffed softly and then Neji opened his eyes, as he sat up.

Naruto gaped. Hanabi, Hinata and Hiashi gasped, their eyes going wide.

Sasuke choked. “Shinju have mercy!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave commets. Thank you :)


	56. Mitra’s Blood (+ omake)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There´s a picture in this chapter, made by me, cause while I will try to describe it, I think it´s easier for everyone, if you can see it too :)

“What is _that_?“ Hiashi asked, his voice barely more, than a whisper.

Sasuke stared. He could only stare. Only one name kept bouncing in his mind. “ _Asharya_ ” he whispered.

The last person he had seen in posession of the _Jōgan_ was his estranged cousin’s eldest son. Asharya hadn’t had the powerful chakra of his mother, but his eyes had been different, than his siblings’ and so, as a response, his Byakugan had evolved in a different way — birthing the Jōgan. It was perhaps because Asharya didn’t have that special sort of Ōtsutsuki chakra anymore, that set their family apart from others? Or it was a new thing, a response to his more human nature? Sasuke didn’t know, how Jōgan came to be possessed by Asharya... but at this point it didn’t matter anymore. He was dead.

But trough his blood, trough Mitra’s blood their uncle’s legacy lived on. (This wasn’t the Tenseigan, but _Shinju forbid_ a human to possess the _Tenseigan_. That _destruction_ , that could come from its power, tinted by human nature’s inherent darkness...) Sasuke shivered. Best not think about _that_ now.

A part of him wanted to say, that no, it was **_not_** possible, for anyone to have the Jōgan these days. He wanted to say, wanted to believe, that the blood had dwindled down enoungh. That neither of the Hyūga had the potential anymore — his cousin’s eyes were different from his, which was in some cases good. In other cases — like evolution,— it wasn’t so good. Byakugan didn’t evolve the same way, as Sharingan, that much their father and uncle had made clear. One’s emotional state had little to do with the eyes.

“What?“ Neji whispered, the undercurrent of fear in his tone palpable, “What’s _wrong_?”

Sasuke shook his head, shifting a bit to put a hand on the Hyūga’s shoulder. It was strange, seeing those eyes — pale blue with darker pupil and the sclera dark grey, almost black. “Nothing’s wrong, Neji. Nothing at all.” he said, trying to sound as calming, as he could.

“Hanabi, Hinata.“ Hiashi called sternly. The girls looked away from Neji to look at their father and Clan Head.

“Hai, Otō-san?“

“Please leave us for now. And _do not_ mention this to anyone. _At all.”_ he said, his voice dropping into a dangerously low octave.

Hanabi nodded, recognising the gravity of the situation, even if she didn’t understand what was trully going on. “I-I won’t.” she said. Then, she slipped from Neji’s bed, altough not before throwing him one last look of curiousty and worry. Hinata squeezed Neji’s hand in reassurance and then she slipped out as well.

As Hanabi and Hinata left, Naruto swiftly moved to the middle of the room, biting his thumb to hurriedly draw a few symbols on the floor. Then, he pushed chakra into them and the chakra made the blod flow in different ways, creating a much more complex pattern, than the one, which had originally been drawn. **“Fūinjutsu: Chinmoku no Hashira.”** (Sealing Techinque: Pillars of Silence)

The seal glowed and the symbols extended, meshing the entire room, creating an eerie blue-orange glow. A moment later Naruto stood up and nodded. “Now, no one will hear us.”

“ _What’s_ ** _wrong_** _?_ “ Neji asked, obviously on the verge of panic.

Sasuke sighed and shook his head. “Nothing’s wroung, _cousin.”_ he said, pointedly using the word, which made Neji blink and slow down a bit.

In response, Naruto waved a hand, drawing some water from the air and guiding it over to Neji, then positioning it, like a mirror. “Have a look, Neji.”

Neji did just that. For a very long moment, he only stared at his reflection and then... “WHAT HAPPENED TO MY _EYES_?!”

Sasuke rubbed his ear and his Sharingan flashed in irritation. “ _Not_ so loud, Neji. We might have a Silencing Seal and others cannot hear us, but you should not make _us_ deaf.”

Neji huffed, as the water dissolved, as Naruto flared his chakra. “Sorry. But... what happened to my eyes?”

“Long ago,“ Naruto murmured softly, “The Byakugan was just one step of power. It, just like the Sharingan, had a second level.”

“W-what?“ Hiashi asked. “Why haven’t we heard of this?”

Sasuke shifted a bit and Neji scooped farther on the bed and gestured for him to sit. Sasuke gave him a look, but Neji made another gesture and Sasuke sighed — with Asharya’s eyes staring back from Neji, he wasn’t in the mood, to piss the Hyūga off. For all he knew, Jōgan was just as dangerous and powerful, as Mangekyō Sharingan and Neji couldn’t control it.

“I think it was lost to time, like so much of the Ninshū and chakra-related knowledge.“ he said. “So, as it was said, Byakugan has different stages, one of which you can see now, courtesy of your nephew.” Sasuke looked at Neji, “Cut the chakra flow. You can’t control these eyes and the least thing we need is for you to end up with severe chakra exhaustion.”

Neji closed his eyes and when he opened them again, they were back to the normal, featureless silver-white colour. “What is this Dōjutsu?“

Naruto hummed, sitting on the ground, kekkufuza between the bed and Hiashi’s chair. “Hamura oji-sama had, what we could call the _proper_ second stage of Byakugan— he called them the _Tenseigan_. His younger daughter, Mitra inherited his Byakugan and she later activated the Tenseigan as well, however, her children no longer posessed such power. Her eldest son, Asharya, however, still stood apart from his siblings, as his eyes evolved to a differnt stage. Something we could call a derived version of the Tenseigan, I suppose.... a mutation, which was fit to weaker, human bodies, in a way. However, after Asharya, no one had Jōgan again. It was lost to time. And... honestly? I think the Hyūga killed any chance of re-acquiring these eyes, when they started using the Caged Bird Seal.”

“It may be due to that.“ Hiashi said slowly, “But pray tell, why does Neji have these eyes _now_? And why him?”

Sasuke and Naruto shared a look. That was a good question. What had changed over the months? They trained together, they spent time togehter... it couldn’t have been the Reibi, as Neji hadn’t been directly exposed to its chakra... Besides, with how malvolent that thing was, it would not have willingly given Neji something.... Or maybe it was indeed just the stress of the situation and he did, after all, achieve this level, in a similar manner Uchiha gained the Mangakyō?

Sasuke’s eyes went wide. _“Give!“_ he said mentally, _“The three of us shared chakra, to get away from Anchor Vantian! Our chakra is more Ōtsutsuki-like, since we remember and it just keeps growing stronger since we train.”_

Naruto blinked, peering at him. _“Do you think our combined chakras, flowing trough him, circulating in all three of us, in fact, caused the Jōgan to resurface?“_

_“Why not? The restraints on his eyes, created by the Cursed Seal, were gone. And with all the training we’ve been doing, he’s been continously exposed to our chakra, seperately. His body got used to it. But when the great amount kept circulating between us, to help me maintain Susanno’o...”_

_“Remains of our chakra stuck in his system.“_ Naruto finished, _“Which then got assimilated to his own and so, it triggered the burried genetics of the Jōgan. Or perhaps the short exposure to the Reibi’s malvolent presence. After all, the ruins were completely overrun by that energy.”_

 _“Or perhaps the two chakras at once— both the creature’s and ours. Besides, he was both physically and mentally strong enough to survive an evolution, so when a fraction of our chakra stayed in him, his body reacted accordingly. Reawakened the Jōgan, to make his chakra a bit more like ours.You know, natural assimilation to ensure survival.“_ Sasuke offered— it was, after all, a possibility. Neither Mitra, nor Asharya ever revealed, what caused the evolution of Asharya’s Dōjutsu.

“Naruto? Sasuke?“ Neji called, jolting them from their mental conversation. “Mind telling what’s with my eyes? And... how did this happen?”

“For a Dōjutsu to evolve,“ Sasuke said quietly, “The wielder must be physically and mentally strong enough to survive the genetic change in their body. You were strong enough for that, hence the Jōgan.”

“But don’t these sort of things need a catalyst?“ Hiashi asked, “Like... how the Uchiha develop the Sharingan?“

“It does need a catalyst.“ Naruto agreed, “We’re just not sure, what it might have been.”

“W-what?“ asked Neji.

Sasuke sighed. “When our reincarnation came to a full cycle and we remembered our past life... our chakra _changed_ somewhat. Chakra is a lot like blood, as it carries certain informations about the user. In blood, we’re Sasuke and Naruto. Our chakras howerver, are the chakra of Indra and Asura. More Ōtsutsuki-like. You follow?”

Neji nodded. “Yes.”

“Hyūga and Kaguya are also Ōtsutsuki descendants.“ Naruto continoued, “So in a way, our chakras are similar. When we circulated our chakra to help Sasuke maintain Susanno’o, some of our chakra remained in your system. It got absorbed in the course of few days and triggered the activation of Jōgan. However, as a Dōjutsu-user, your Yin chakra is stronger. And Sasuke’s as well. The reason why you collapsed, was because for a little while, there was too much Yin chakra in your body, which caused pain and didn’t allow the Jōgan to properly mainfest. When I healed you, I expelled some of my Yang chakra, which balanced out yours. With the potential right there and now your chakra in balance, the Jōgan appeared. Or perhaps it was your short exposure to the Reibi’s dark presence, ith all the negativity... but we’re unsure.”

“Maybe it was Ōtsutsuki chakra, that was needed for the eyes to appear, since it’s different form normal chakra. When you got that from us in a bigger dose, it stuck around, evolving your Byakugan. But somewhere in your mind and body, there had to be a hidden potential for it. So it’s as much individual, as it is genetical... and a bit of luck, I suppose.” Sasuke said.

“In short,“ Naruto said, “The Jōgan was always there, burried deep within, it just needed a spark to show itself.”

“That’s... shocking.“ Hiashi said. “Does this mean his children might have Jōgan too?”

“The potential _will_ be bigger,“ Naruto additted, “But it will still need certain conditions to appear. So it depends on many things.”

Neji’s eyes were wide. “Holy... and... what do they do?“

Sasuke chuckled. “That’s the tricky question, Neji. We know the basics of it, as we’d both dealt with Mitra several times in the past and we’ve also seen some demonstrations from Hamura oji-sama. But they had Tenseigan. We weren’t around her children so much. Especially not _me_ — maybe Asura and his family, but certainly not me and Shachi. You’ll have to figure most of the things out trough trial and error.”

“That is...“ Naruto looked around the room pointedly, “useless Oji-sama pops up right about _now_...” he paused for a second, “to help you.”

Of course, as expected, nothing happened. Naruto shrugged.

Sasuke chuckled at his antics and shook his head. “The point is, that it’s _not_ going to be easy. We’ll help you where we can and we’ll teach you a bit more about the in-depth of Ninshū. That might help with getting a grasp of your new eyes. And of course, as we go, we’ll share the basics we know.”

“And...“ Naruto added with a wry grin, “We’ll make sure you don’t blow up yourself _or_ the village.”

Both Neji and Hiashi paled. “I-I could do that?“ Neji murmured, going sickly pale

Sasuke hummed. “If you aply the power right... I think yes. Kind of. The _Tenseigan_ could _certainly_ do damage like that. Gods know how much of that power Asharya inherited trough Jōgan. And you ought to be just a bit more like the first generations of the Hyūga, otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“By the Sage’s beard.“ Hiashi murmured.

“With due respect, Hiashi-dono, you’re speaking about our _father_.“ Naruto said with a glare.

The Hyūga Head’s gaze snapped to Naruto. “O-oh, gomen. Bad habit.” he rubbed his face, obviously tired. “Senju-dono, shall his Seal hold? Now more than ever, I think it is needed to protect him.”

Naruto hummed. “I think so. However, just to ease your mind, as well as ours, I shall have a look, when he completely recovers.”

“Neji?“ Sasuke asked, as he stood up.

Neji looked up. “Yes?“

“For a while, don’t try anything. Jōgan isn’t a normal occurance in your Clan. I would say, that since it mainfested, it shot your chakra control. _Do_ test your control, in a few days. If it’s shot, you might reveal your new eyes to people, when they shouldn’t know.” Sasuke warned.

Neji nodded. “Noted. I will be careful.”

Sasuke hummed and stood up. “Rest now. We’ll visit in a few days, alright? Or maybe you could come to the Namikaze house? Less prying eyes and all. Then if you feel up to it, we can start training.”

“Alright.“

Naruto stood up as well and smiled at Neji, patting his shoulder. “Take care, will you? Oh and stay in bed for today.”

Neji smiled. “Sure.”

Sasuke watched his brother nod to Hiashi and then he stepped away too. His black eyes landed on Neji and he studied the older boy for a second and then his lips curled upwards. “Mitra would like you a lot... you know. You’re a lot like her. She’d be proud to call you one of her own. Her blood... and Oji-sama’s living legacy.”

Neji’s eyes went wide and then he grinned. “Arigato.”

* * *

Naruto’s eyes narrowed resoutely on the sealing formula of his great-aunt’s Byakugō no In. It was a genius invention and indeed the pinncale of Medical Ninjuts, hand in hand with his great-granduncle’s self-healing, altough he had a slight suspicion, that it had something to do with the fact, that Hashirama had been like him, in life.

The point was, that the Byakugō was the pinnacle of Medical Ninjutsu and even he recognised a genius invention, when he saw one. The Yin Seal was one such thing — save for it’s only and greatest flaw. It shortened the user’s lifespan.

Of course, it wasn’t such a big deal for Uzumaki, who, accoring to some accounts, lived a hundred years or so and the luckier Senju, who’d lived till retirement, lived about seventy- eighty years, some even ninety. So even if the person used a Byakugō, their lifespan would be shortened by a decade or about fifteen years. Roughly, if his estimations were correct— but it really depended on how many times the seal had been released and for how long.

The point was, that he had no intention of shortening his own lifespan, just to survive a fatal injury. Not when he knew more about chakra, than most of the shinobi today. He knew there had to be a way to further improve the seal, keeping all it’s positive effects and none of the negative. he knew there had to be _something_.

_‘Hm, let’s see... that symbol keeps the balance. Those are for storage, that one ensures it’s safe and stable. That one is the one, which continously draws in chakra, that keeps Yang...‘_

He paused, eyes narrowing.

 _Of course_. Yang chakra. It was _life_. If he mixed Yang and Mokuton — or Natural Energy, really, he could get away with actually... _yes_! (Natural Energy sounded better, since even if his future children didn’t have his Mokuton, he could go and teach them the technique, as long, as they had the needed chakra control.) That would actually recreate the damaged cells or heal and strenghten them further. If the damaged cells were healed and strenghtened further, it would be harder to damage them again. Oh, and if he twisted some of the symbols, he could actually seperate the storage and the healing properties of the Seal!

A wide grin spread acros his face and he quickly snateched up the closest plain scroll he could get his hands on and started scribing. If this worked out... he might never again need Kurama’s healing, because as long, as the Seal had chakra inside to release, he could heal himself.

Eyes narrowed, with several situations going trough his mind, he scribed the seal, remembering to keep in mind the basic rules of Ninshū. After all, he didn’t want to ditch death — no, he just wanted to make sure he’d grow old and grey. He wantd to make sure he could pull trough situations, that would kill a regular man. He wasn’t the former Head of the Ōtsutsuki and inventor of the basics of modern Medical Arts for nothing.

When he was done, about twenty minutes later, his violet eyes scanned over the entire script, looking for flaws. Any flaws. Even the smallest one.

When he was sure, that the flaws he made were corrected and there were none left at all, he created a Shadow Clone and stripped of his haori and mesh shirt and shoved the brush into the hands of the clone. The clone gave him an evil eye, but then turned to study the scroll for a moment, before dipping the brush in the specially mixed ink and starting to draw on his skin.

Once the seal was done, he would just have to meditate a bit, to spread the chakra in it accordingly and to gather some Natural Energy. Once that was done, the seal would be complete.

A complete, _perfect_ Byakugō.

* * *

Sasuke just finished cleaning the house, when there was a knock on the door.

Itachi was out on a mission, so he would be back late tonight. It was just him and Naruto for a change, but his brother was absorbed in something Fūinjutsu related, so much, that fater Naruto didn’t answer his call for breakfast, he just decided to let him be. It was never a good idea, to disturb him, when he was like that.

He put the cleaning equipment away and shuffled over to the door with a slight smile. Neji had recovered, it seemed. He opened the door and nodded inside. “Ohayo. Come in, Neji. I take you’re better?”

Neji nodded. “I am. Altough, just as you said, my control is a mess. Not _entirely_ gone, but much messier, than it used to be, so Uncle and Hinata promised to help quietly, to regain it.”

He hummed, escorting the Hyūga inside. “As expected. I’m sure Otōto can give you a few advanced chakra control tips as well. They may be of use. Jōgan would take more chakra, than Byakugan, just as my Mangekyō takes more. So better control means using it for longer time. You never know, when you may need its advanced abilities, whatever they are.”

Neji’s pale gaze swept the place. “Where’s everyone, by the way?“

“Itachi’s on a mission, so he’ll be back sometime tonight. Naruto’s in the backyard, messing around with Fūinju...“ he was cut off, as he felt the powerful chakra blaze.

He shared a quick look with Neji and then they hurried toawrds the porch. Shinju knew what his brother was doing again. ( _Sigh_ , as much as he loved Asura, he should get paid for dealing with him and his seals... and the pranks... oh, the _pranks_...) The _pink_ still haunted his nightmares and he swore he could still hear Naruto’s laughter mix with Tobirama’s. He shuddered.

They arrived in the backyard fast, and he found his brother sitting in a meditative position, chakra forming a visible sheen around him, seals glowing and slitheirng across his body, as if alive... until they were all gone, to leave only the Byakugō behind.

But, as he walked closer, he noticed, that it was different from the original one. The purple rhombus was still there, but now it had an exra layer on the two sides, ligher in shade, just a hairsberth more pinkish and he could see the skin between the ligher addition and the original seal, almost as if there hadn’t been enough ink, to fill everything.

But he had to addmit, it looked nice.

Modestly simple, yet fancy at the same time. Just the sort, that fit his brother’s style and personality. And something... something told him, that there was _power_ behind that seal.

Neji threw him a look with a quirked eyebrow, as if silently asking — _what is that?_

Sasuke shrugged. Fūinjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu were his brother’s business, not his. And the Byakugō was the combination of those two Arts. The two he knew the least about — not to say he was completely incompetent in those fields... it just never really sat well with his style. Nor did he ever have perfect, _trully_ perfect control, which was needed for medical purposes.

Naruto opened his eyes and a wide, satisfied smile spread across his face. His violet eyes glowed with the combined light of happiness and fading chakra.

“What did you do _now_ , Otōto?“ he asked, making a vague gesture at the odd Byakugō.

“That, dear Indra nī-sama, is the _absolute_ perfect form of Byakugō. It stores chakra and heals if needed, without shortening my lifespan. As you know, the original one shortens the user’s life, since it speeds up the splitting of cells and a body’s cells can only split a certain amount of times. Well, this one, this perfect, **_Rikudō Byakugō_** _doesn’t_ shorten my lifespan. Has all the positives without slowly killing me.”

Sasuke blinked once. And then twice.

And then he gaped. He actually _gaped_ , because he remembered Tsunade telling him aout the Seal. How neither her, nor her grandparents could figure out a way to get rid of it’s downsides. They couldn’t even minimize it.

And his brother did it. With this, Naruto actually outshone the likes of Senju Hashirama and Uzumaki Mito, Fūin- and Medical Ninjutsu wise, as well.

And then, he laughed, ruffling Naruto’s hair (which caused him to pout childishly). “If anyone ever said you were incompetent, well, they should take it back. I certainly take it back Otōto. Pranks and all that mischief, but you’re your own sort of _genius_.”

Naruto chuckled and blushed, scratching his cheek in embarrasment, just as he used to do, when they were kids. “Ehehe, thanks, Nī-sama.”

He pretended not to notice, how his little brother leaned into his touch afterwards. He also pretended not to notice, for the rest of the day, as Naruto went about his day with a spring in his step throwing him an ocassional admiring look, when the blonde thought he would not see.

* * *

**~OMAKE~**

_(Alternate scene)_

_ Unexpected visitor _

_Neji’s eyes were wide. “Holy... and... what do they do?“_

_Sasuke chuckled. “That’s the tricky question, Neji. We know the basics of it, as we’d both dealt with Mitra several times in the past and we’ve also seen some demonstrations from Hamura oji-sama. But they had Tenseigan. We weren’t around her children so much. Especially not **me** — maybe Asura and his family, but certainly not me and Shachi. You’ll have to figure most of the things out trough trial and error.”_

_“That is...“ Naruto looked around the room pointedly, “useless Oji-sama pops up right about **now**...” he_ _paused for a second, “to help you.”_

_As if summoned by words of magic, there was a bright blue light and powerful wave of chakra. Sasuke’s breath hitched — only... that... **that chakra!** He shared a quick look with Naruto and then they both scrambled to their feet._

_“What did you just **do** , Otōto?“ he hissed frantically, almost panicking. (Shit, which of their relatives were “visiting“? He hoped it was someone sane and not for one... their... no don’t even think about that person.)_

_Naruto flailed little. “Nothing. I swear on the Moon, I did **nothing**!” he hissed back in panic._

_When the light faded, there stood a man in a complex sealing circle. He still looked the same as Sasuke remembered him from their childhood — not a winkle on his face, not a hair out of place. It was as if the many, many years hadn’t even left a mark on him._

_Waist-lenght, striaght, white hair. His bangs were short hung to left side of his face with a chin-length lock which hung from the right side of his face. Small, horn-like protrusions on his forehead and his eyes were pale — the sign of his Byakugan. He wore a light, full-length kimono with a pattern of six black magatama around a high collar and dark pants. He also had his sword in its sheath strapped to his left hip and his shakujō tied to his back visible above his shoulder._

_“Am I dreaming or is this Tsukuyomi?“ Naruto choked out, taking an unsteady step towards their uncle._

_“Neither, Asura-kun. Why look so surprised? You wanted to see me.” Uncle Hamura answered._

_Naruto’s violet eyes went wide and he bowed hurriedly, clumsily, none of his usual grace present. “Oji-sama. I... I just...”_

_“Just what, nephew? You should know by now, that words have power.”_

_Then, his eyes shifted and as the familiar pale eyes settled on him, Sasuke sallowed hard. He bowed deeply, afraid to look the man in the eyes, for a moment. Their uncle’s dedication to peace and their father’s beloved world had been widely-known by their Clan. And once, he had tried destroying that peace... “Oji-sama.”_

_Their uncle’s gaze rested on him for a long, heavy moment and he feared the judgement he might get... “Good to see you again, Indra-kun. A relief to see you two aren’t trying to claw out each other’s eyes **again**.”_

_Sasuke winced at that. “A-a few h-hundred years was more than long enough, Oji-sama. Time for us to set things straight.“ Inwardly, Sasuke cursed himself for stumbling over his words, like a fool, but he couldn’t help it. Even after all this time, the man made him feel like a clueless toddler..._

_Their uncle nodded. “Yes, yes. But tell me, how setting the world straight, that I’ve left to you and my daughters so long ago, involves me being **here**?”_

_“Uh...“ Naruto muttered, making a hasty gesture at Neji, “One of Mitra-chan’s descendants got the Jōgan?” he offered weekly._

_Their uncle’s eyes settled on Neji, who stiffened and then his gaze returned to them. “Unexpected. I’d watched both of the Clans for a long while and no one had shown as much promise, as my daughters. And if I recall correcly, Asharya-kun was the only one to possess such eyes. How come one of them have Jōgan now?”_

_He shared an uneasy look with Naruto. “Uh... we might have been escaping from a flying fortress, that was about to crash into the ocean. And... you see, the problem with reincarnation is, that we don’t have all that prowess we used to.”_

_“So we might have shared chakra, so Nī-sama could get us out with Susanno’o. And... well, Neji **might** have been involved?“ Naruto scratched his cheek sheepishly, “You know, chakra connecting and circulation. And some of our chakra... might have stuck in his system... or maybe it was the energy of the Jūbi-wannabe, we really have no clue... hehehe...”_

_Then, sooner then either of them could react, their uncle moved. He grabbed the shakujō from his back and whacked them over the head with it. Sasuke groaned and rubbed the painful spot. “You...you... **you** **total idiots!** How in the name of.... damn it, how could Onī-sama trust either of you with Ninshū? And I thought Sarvastra and Mitra had been bad. It seems you two outshine their idiocy by a great deal, even with several hundreds of years of extra life behind you!”_

_Sasuke twitched. “Will it change anything if we say we’re sorry?“ he offered carefully._

_The shakujō went flying again. Sasuke winced again and this time both him and Naruto ended up falling on their rear. Oh, Shinju... the humiliation of being treated like a child... oh, kami, the humiliation..._

_“You two can be as reckless as you want, that’s Hagoromo’s problem, not mine. But you involve **my** descendants in that endless idiocy of yours...!”_

_“Alright, alright!” Naruto flailed with wide, puppy eyes, “We’re very **sorry**. Can you help Oji-sama? We really don’t feel like letting a clueless, untrained Jōgan-user running around... cause... you know.“ he made a gesture, “We’ve got to deal with the slowly approaching end of the world and maniac Uchihas and...”_

_Their uncle deadpanned. “Where are my nephewes? They weren’t such idiots. Or had the one too many reincarnations killed **every single brain cell** you had? Well, it’s not like you had many, Asura, but **you too** , Indra? You were called a genius...”_

_Sasuke twitched. “I... we...”_

_“Idiots.“ their uncle sighed, “I weep for our Clan, if the two of you are the future. You landed yourselves in this mess, so deal with it.“ and then he was gone with another flash of great chakra._

_Naruto sat on the floor, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes, lips trembling as he rubbed the sore spot on his head. “He hates us, doesn’t he?“_

_Sasuke scooted over to him and hugged him, tucking his brother’s head under his chin. “Nah, you know he tended to be sharper with words, then Otō-sama ever was. It’s just...just... he thinks we’re total idiots.“_

_They pulled apart and shared a look, staring into each others eyes. Their uncle thought them idiots._

_A part of them wanted to laugh, because they were anything **but** idiots. Another part wanted to cry (it was not as if they had any dignity left, after this meeting anyway), because he totally left them without even a clue about how to help Neji._

_Damn him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Asharya is a Hindu male name, originally written as "Aasharya". I wrote it with one "a" for the sake of simplicity. :3 BTW, the name itself means "son of the sun", which I found rather fitting, as the Hyuga Clan are associated with the sun, with their name meaning and all that...
> 
> And yes, cookies to people who voted on Jōgan. However - I don´t watch Boruto, so I don´t really know much about it, I just read up the wiki. Not that it gave away much, in-canon, what it really could do or what were the limits, ect... so, I will try to flesh out things surrounding Jōgan. Therefore consider it part of my worldbuilding and the fabrication of my crazy little mind.  
> And why the Jōgan? I think Boruto has it because parts of different Otsutsuki chakra got mixed - Asura/Hagoromo´s Yang from Naruto and Hamura´s from Hinata. So here, I thought Neji could get away with getting it, cause he already had Byakugan, thus Hamura/Mitra´s blood and over the many months he´s been continously exposed to parts of Asura/Indra´s Otsutsuki chakra in different doses/proportions, hence the evolution. But of course, as stated in the chapter it was the favourable mix of genetics/Otsutsuki chakra and some luck.  
> Naruo´s improved Byakugo and it´s design is also mine and part of the worldbuilding of the fic, completely my little fanon.
> 
> Like always, please don´t leave without dropping comments. Comments give me an idea what you think and that always lifts my spirit and gives energy/creativity to write :)  
> Arigato


	57. Quiet Days

It was a perfect day in Konoha. The sky was bright blue, the sun shone above and birds sung their songs. It was truly an idyllic day...

_BOOM!_

The massive explosion echoed across the entire village, shaking the ground and startling several birds, forcing many people to stop. Shinobi and civilians all stopped to wonder what it was. Altough only for a moment, as the shinobi nearby then all leapt into action, ready to deal with any enemy, that might suddenly appear. Gods knew they’d dealt with enough surprise attacks over the years. There was one in the Third War, then the recent Chūnin Exam and then the Land of Sky...

Namiashi Raidō was one of the shinobi nearby, so he sped towards the direction of the explosion, as fast as he could, already thinking of ways to deal with the enemy, depending on numbers. He was sure that others would be heading here as well and that ANBU had surely been deployed already. The Hokage wouldn’t leave the village undefend...

His thought process was cut off, when he reached his destination. One of the Jōnin training grounds at the edge of the village, so rarely used, that Raidō was sure people had even forgotten it existed in the first place.

What he saw, was not what he was expecting. Below on the ground, Senju-Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were facing off, their chakras so potent and wild, that the colourful energies were actually visible. Sasuke’s eyes shone sinisterly, spinning wildly, his body shrudded in flames of silvery purple. Naruto’s own eyes were tangerine in colour and there were strange markings of redish-brown spread across his face, his chakra a mix of gold and green.

Just steps behind the two young Jōnin stood two massive animals, that Raidō knew to be summons — a black wolf and a white deer. Both beasts darted closer to their respective summoners and the boys leapt on their backs, their chakra intensifying even more.

 **“Kogen: Susanno’o!”** (Origin: He with the Ability to Help by All Means) Sasuke called and a strange purple armour formed around the wolf. He’d heard this and that about Susanno’o in passing from Itachi, rather recently, but he hadn’t known, that the thing could be applied onto summons.

 **“Senpō: Mokuton: Jitsuzai Mokusei-jū no Yoroi.”** Naruto called, as wood grew from the ground. (Sage Art: Wood Release: True Wooden Beast Armour)

Raidō ’s jaw dropped. Since _when_ did Naruto know Senjutsu? That Art was pretty hard and from what he knew, the current — and only— master of it in the village was Jiraiya. True, the blonde had it running in his family, the Shodaime and the Yondaime had both been known as Sages, but... but that thing was _hard_. How the _hell_ did the blonde learn it so young?

“Ready to lose, Nī-sama?“ the blonde Senju taunted.

Sasuke snorted. “Only in your dreams, sweet Otōto.“

And then, both of the armoured summons leapt forwards, clashing fiercely, their summoners leaping into the air, to clash with — were those _shakujō_? Who used such an old-fashioned thing these days? Not to mention, those were more ceremonial additions _for monks_ — and an emergency weapon—, rather than _actual_ weapon meant for _shinobi_. Shakujō after all, were meant to be symbols of balance and peace.

The summons clashed just as fiercely, as their summoners. And from where Raidō stood on the branch, it seemed the two prodigious Jōnin — they _were_ prodigies, after all, no one had dealt with Bijū so young as they had and if he knew things correctly, this wasn’t the only time. They’d kept the Ichibi Jinchūriki in check during their Chūnin Exams and recently, a few weeks ago, they’d subdued and resealed the Sanbi and the now-retired Yondaime Mizukage, Karatachi Yagura.

The two Summons parted after several ground-shaking clashes, as their respective armours faded, watching the boys. Both were fast, one focused on fluidity and predicting what might come next, while the other aimed to break bones and shred insides with a single strike. The clanking of metal echoed sharply, as the glowing shakujō met strike for strike, neither of the two letting up their relentless attacking. (Seeing them clash, Raidō was reminded of the times, when he sometimes would watch a training session between Uchiha Fugaku and the newly minted Yondaime, before the poor man had been drowned in paperwork... only to realise he could use Kage Bunshin to deal with said headache. The thought made him chuckle.)

Then in a clear definiton of unpredictability, the blonde flung his weapon at the Uchiha and attcked the other with pure Taijutsu. The Uchiha deflected the weapon and then dropped his own, to fend off the Senju-Uzumaki with bare hands, his eyes burning dangerously, as if he could even read the blonde’s soul.

The blonde’s Taijutsu was good and it kind of froze the blood in his veins, as he watched their pattern. It was similar to how Jūken worked, Raidō noted. But not exactly the same. The Jūken was used mostly to block the opponent, most of its killing strikes took effect only shortly after, after several others. The blonde’s strikes also meant immediate death, but instead of going for the heart, the blonde preferred to go for the lungs ad troath. Even if not those... Raidō could see, that the other strikes would cause serious internal bleeding and pain.

Naruto slipped and stumbled. Sasuke moved fast, but Naruto used a _Shunshin_ to get some distance between them and as he hit the ground, it broke up the soil beneath them and _gods be good_... Raidō shivered. Were all Senju like this? Posessing such monstrous strenght to shatter the very earth with a blow? (He made a mental note never to piss of Naruto. He remembered how people whispered about Uzumaki Kushina’s dangerous, _bloody_ temper. And he remembered how she would be the only one, daring to march into the Hokage office, waving her katana around, roaring bloody murderer on her not-yet-husband. No, Raidō decided... he would _never_ piss of the son of Uzumaki Kushina. The son, who hit like Senju Tsunade.)

The Uchiha missed a kick and it instead collided with the ground, also shattering it. Raidō paled... He thought only Naruto used chakra to enhance his blows?!

 **“Mokuton: Ibara no Arare!”** (Wood Release: Hail of Thorns) Naruto called — and only now did Raidō realise he was airborne—, creating several massive thorns of wood, which then flew straight for the Uchiha.

The Uchiha’s lips quirked upwards and his chakra blazed, stronger, than before and Raidō swore he could feel the heat radiating off of the Sharingan-user in scorching waves. Even from this distance the heat and the strenght of chakra made him uncomfortable. **“Ninshū: Shiroi Hōno: Ten no Hiryū.”** (Shinobi Creed: White Flames: Celestial Fire Dragon)

Fire formed aroung the Uchiha’s very body, writhing and coiling, growing in size and strenght, until Sasuke seemed small in the ring of snow-white fire. It lunged forwards with a roar, burning away the wood. And wasn’t that mind-blowing? From what he’d heard, not even Uchiha Madara had had powerful enough fire jutsu in his arsenal, to burn the Shodai’s wood to ashes without a trace, just as Sasuke did _right now_...

Naruto however, was prepared and apperently not at all worried, as water formed around him, drawing the moisture from the air, just as the Nidai had... **“Ninshū: Suiton: Nanatsunoumi no Tate.”** (Shinobi Creed: Water Release: Shield of the Seven Seas)

The water encased the blonde and to Raidō ’s shock, it was enough to put out the flames. He’d heard from Kakashi, that Sauske’s _White Flames_ couldn’t be so simply doused and one had to have an impressive mastery, on par with the Nidaime, to even _attempt_ such a thing.

 _‘Well... Naruto’s definitely good enough then...‘_ he thought with a hint of a smile, “Minato-sama’s son alright, aren’t ya, kid?“ he whispered softly.

For a moment, he saw nothing, as vapor filled the air, but then there was a great gust of wind, which cleared it. Both of them jumped at one another again, exchanging fast, precise blows worty of ANBU...

...until there was a soft rattle and suddenly, Sasuke went (emberassingly) face-first into the dirt. Raidō blinked in shock — the Uchiha had been more graceful so far, than anyone he’d ever seen — he didn’t look the kind to lose his footing so easily. Until he saw the tell tale glint of gold.

Dull golden chains were sneaking up the Uchiha’s leg, now rapidly wrapping everywhere else as well, rattling even more, keeping the Sharingan-user tied down. “Looks like we’re even again, Nī-sama.” Naruto grinned mischeviously — the expression, Raidō nodded, was an odd mix of his parents’. “You won the first bout and this one’s mine.”

Sasuke huffed, obviously annoyed, but as he shifted, Raidō saw no malice on his face, only a bit of exasperation. “We’re even Otōto. Are you happy now?“ he grunted.

Naruto laughed and with a wave of his hand, the chains released the Uchiha and he offered his hand. Sasuke shifted and took the blonde’s hand, allowing himself to be pulled up.

 **“Someone’s here.“** a voice growled. Raidō’s eyes fell on the admittedly intimidating wolf summon.

Then, the two young Clan Heads’ eyes fell on him. It was odd to think of these two as such... well alright. Not exactly. Since Itachi had given up his spot, Sasuke was Clan Head, but with Tsunade still about, Naruto was technically only the Heir... not that it mattered much. Raidō was sure Naruto manouvered the village as a full-fledged Clan Head, politically speaking.

“Mind showing yourself?“ the Senju called out with a raised eyebrow. Raidō shivered a bit, as he saw that epression. Way to close to the Yondaime’s dangerous one...

He leapt from the branch, not feeling like dealing with the kid’s Mokuton or chains. Rumour had it he didn’t have the Hiraishin under his belt yet... but with the Bingo Book entries both had... it was just a question of time.

As he walked to meet them the two summons darted closer, obviously protective of the two boys, until the Uchiha spoke. “Wait, Kagetsume. He’s one of us, no need to be so hostile...”

The wolf stopped and so did Raidō, eyeing the Summon suspiciously.

“What brings you here, Jōnin-san?“ Naruto asked.

Raidō glanced at the stag next to him and then looked at the violet-eyed blonde. “Mere curiousty, Namikaze-sama. You were quiet loud and I’m surprised there aren’t an entire squadron of ANBU here.”

Naruto grinned wryly. “Ah, so long since someone called me _Namikaze_. They usually tend to stick with Senju, these days. And Tsunade oba-san knows we’re training here, so she told everyone not to raise alarm for anything felt from around this area.”

Raidō glanced around the destroyed training ground and he hummed. “I think, I understand why everyone’s been warned off here.”

Naruto chuckled. “We’re not _that_ bad...“

Raidō quirked an eyebrow. “Seriously? I’ve seen what you two just did. Tell me, have you already learned Hiraishin as well?”

Naruto blinked at him and then smiled sheepishly. “Nope. I hadn’t had time to have a look at it and Jiraiya’s gone again cause there’s some unrest he had to check. So there’s not really anyone in the village, who knows the _shikki_ and the basics of that thing. While I know Fūinjutsu, I wouldn’t mind someone clarifying some things about Hairaishin before I attempt using it. While the seal has been written down, Otō-san didn’t write an explanation and with a good reason.“

Raidō hummed, “Well, you’re in luck. Name’s Raidō. Namiashi Raidō, one of your father’s former bodyguards.“

Both boys eyebrows went up. “Hm, interesting.“ the Uchiha murmured.

Naruto studied him. “A pleasure to meet, Namiashi-san.”

Raidō nodded back. “The pleasure’s all mine. As I said, I seved in your father’s guard platoon and he taught me the Hirashin altough it has a big chakra cost, so I can only use it with my two teammates. But we all know the _shikki_ and the theory behind it. So if you’d like, I could help you clear up some things about it.”

“You wouldn’t mind?“

He chuckled. “Not at all, Namikaze-sama. After all, it’s part of your heritage.”

Naruto’s lips curled into a grin, which reminded Raidō of the dead Hokage himself. “I’ll be taking you up on that offer.“ he looked at the Uchiha. “Go home, Nī-sama. I’ll land there sometime later.” his eyes flickered to the deer. “Thank you for the spar and the help Shirotsuno. You may return home.”

The stag dipped his head. **“Take care, Senju-sama.”** and then he was gone in a plume of smoke. Raidō caught similar words from the Uchiha, as he dismissed his wolf summon.

The Uchiha’s eyes — still burning with the Sharingan,— landed on the blonde again. He’d used to work with Uchihas, while the Clan was still around and he’d gotten used to looking at them from time to time, without being caught in a Genjutsu. Yet, seeing Sasuke’s eyes was different... there was something different about those eyes. There was some sort of searing power behind it, that Raidō didn’t remember Uciha possessing. Not even Fugaku or Itachi.

“Fine, just make sure you don’t overextert yourself, hmm, Otōto?“ he patted the blonde on the shoulder with a faint smile, “As useful as it is, you can get about without having it for a while longer. Don’t forget to come home and rest. I’m sure if you speak with Tsunade-sensei, she can survive a few days without Namiashi-san in his post.”

Naruto rolled his eyes with a chuckle. “Don’t fret so much. I’ll rest too. I just want to go over the _shikki_ today. And depending on how well it works out, I might try it in a week or a bit more. I think I’ll have to learn to draw and apply the seal, before I even attempt using it.”

“Good.“ the Uchiha muttered and then glanced at him with a nod, “Make sure he doesn’t go overboard, would you, Namiashi-san?”

Raidō blinked a bit and then nodded. It was one thing, obesrving these two and hearing about them — hearing and seeing how they treated one another as true brothers. And an entirely different thing to find himself caught in a situation, where he had to converse with them. It made him notice, that they acted naught like people their age.

“Of course.“ he answered after a moment.

The Uchiha nodded in satisfaction, gave one last look to Naruto — an odd mix between warning and fondness,— before disappearing in a swirl of snow-white flames. When Raidō was sure the Uchiha was gone, he gestured towards the village, as he glanced at Naruto.

“We should look for a more... intact place to retreat to. All this chakra lingering around here makes it hard to breath.”

Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his neck (hell, that was so much like his father, that it was almost painful to watch) and nodded. “Sure. What place do you have in mind, Namiashi-san?”

* * *

Naruto huffed softly as he landed on the top of the Hokage Mountain with a bowl of still-steaming rice. Today he’d been off with Shiranui Genma, instead of Raidō, going over the workings of his father’s signature technique. He was pretty worn out and hungry. Now that the first half of the day had been spent with training he planned on doing nothing, but relax with Sasuke right there.

Sasuke was already sitting, his rice half-finished, altough his brother looked up at his arrival. “How was it?”

He sat down and took a bite of his food. “It’s not easy. mean, I get the theory behind it, but it doesn’t make it any easier to use. Besides, since this thing is Space-time jutsu, I really can’t afford to make a mistake with the markers. So now that we’re done with the theory, I’ll be working on the markers a bit, before I even ask the three to demonstrate the jutsu for me.“ he explained.

Sasuke nodded with a small humm. “Hey, it’s okay. Take your time with it. You were perfectly fine the first time around without any fancy teleportation. So going a few more months without it really doesn’t matter much, right?“

Naruto smiled. His brother had always known the right words, to cheer him up. He wasn’t sad, jut a bit burdened, but Sasuke knew how to deal with it anyway. “True.”

They finished the rest of their meal in silence and when they were done, set the plates aside. For a long moment, the silence stretched even further. “It’s nice.“ Naruto murmured, “Just us, with a bit of calmness and silence. We’d been so focused on training and missions and saving Konoha, that I can’t even remember, when we had some time for ourselves.”

“True.“ Sasuke said, as he lay back onto the grass, his hands folded under his head. “But we have it now, so we might as well enjoy it.”

Naruto grinned and laid down too. “Yeah, we might as well.“ he said, scooting closer to Sasuke.

“What are...“

“C’mon. I want a nap.“ Naruto said, “You know, like we used to, when we were kids.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes a bit, but shifted. Naruto grinned and curled into Sasuke’s side, with one of his brother’s hands on his back, drawing small circles. “Satisfactory now, Otōto?”

“It’s _perfect_.” Naruto murmured.

Moments later, he was between sleep and wakefulness already.

And in that odd half-asleep state, both of them landed in Kurama’s seal, with their eldest brother himself napping.

 **“Coming for a visit?“** Kurama drawled lazily.

“Well, we hadn’t had any quiet moments lately.“ Naruto admitted. “Maybe we could take a nap together?“

Kurama hummed. **“Come on, then.“**

Naruto chuckled sleepily, as their brother shifted slightly. Naruto lay next to him and nestled himself into the warm orange fur. Sasuke rolled his eyes, but he did the same anyway, draping an arm around him the same way, as their bodies were out in the real world. Kurama hummed softly and a fluffy tail waved around a bit to cover them both for extra warmth— not that it was actually needed, but it was comfortable anyway.

“Night, Nī-sama.“ Naruto murmured, his voice already a drawl again. (He knew it wasn’t night outside, but who cared?)

Sasuke just nestled closer to him in a wordless answer and Naruto smiled. Kurama’s soft, warm breath ruffled their hair and clothes, as the kitsune settled as well. **“Rest well, Otōto.”**

And so, the three brothers slept peacefully, clinging to each other, even in their dreams.

* * *

The shore was quiet and untouched ever since the Sora-nin had drowned here and the ocean had sallowed the city. The sun glistened on the clear blue water, creating an idillic scene. The gently rocking sea was then disturbed by ripples, growing bigger and bigger, until a vaguely human-like shape, entirely black and featureless — save for the round yellow eyes,— rose out of the water. The liquid splashed loudly for a bit before the creature stopped on the sandy shore, grinning widely to show a row of sharp, white teeth.

In its grip, the sentinent shadow held a massive sealing scroll, which glowed with cold, black aura, clasped shut by an intricate, spiral-like seal. The creature looked down at the massive scroll with a triumphant grin.

 **“Arigato, Asura. You contributed to the rise of Okā-sama’s rising. Soon,“** the creature hissed, **“the Datara’s eye will be set on the world once more. And this time, there is no Sennin to stop it.“**

With those words, the shadow sunk into the sand, taking with it the great sealing scroll. There was no trace left behind.

* * *

Sasuke slipped trogugh the Hyūga Compound’s main gate silently, like a ghost. It was time for another lesson with Neji. The last time they’d managed to figure out how much chakra his new eyes ate up and now it was time to figure out how far its abilities went. The Hyūga he passed greeted him with respectful nods and small smiles.

And wasn’t that odd? The Hyūga and his kin had been at odds, for as long as himself and Asura had been squabling over their inheritance like petulant children, instead of sharing power and responsiblilites. Maybe even longer... since he had never been overly fond of Mitra. He remembered how fercely he loved Asura, before Zetsu’s lies reached his ears. The same fierceness, with which he loved his brother now. With Mitra, however... that had never been. Both of them were too quiet and generally detached, to actually from a bond that went beyond cool family formality. In fact, even those days, they’d been at odds at which of them was more promising, when it came to their respective Dōjutsu.

Not to mention, that he was sure, that it had grated at Mitra, that she was the younger sister —not only that, but also the daughter of the younger brother. Hence, she had no claim at Ninshū at all. Ninshū had always lain on his shoulders, as a child (or so he believed) and at a later time, Asura had inherited it. But had something happened to both him and Asura, it would have been Sarvastra, who would have carried on the teachings...

Mitra, as the youngest of the four of them had figuratively nothing, in that sense. So on the top of their “prodigy“ rivalry, this was another factor. Something, that drove an even greater wedge between them. They’d always been different, too different, or perhaps too similar in a sense, to feel comfortable around one another. Besides, Mitra’s prideful nature didn’t help either. Not that he hadn’t been a bit detached and prideful, but Mitra had been worse.

Theyad been a family, but it had never felt like that. Now, Sasuke mused, as he passed the many crefree Hyūga, who greeted him with smiles and respectful nods, now he felt like they were family. He paused for a second in front of the gate of the Main Compound and nodded to the guards.

Both men bowed their heads. “Uchiha-sama.”

“Good day. Is Neji here? I came to speak with him.”

The man on the left nodded. His hair was short and spiky, a rare thing in the Clan —the Hyūga liked flaunting their abilities to see nearly 180 degrees. “Yes he is. I believe he’s helping Hanabi-sama polish her skills, so you will find them in the dojo.”

“Arigato.“ and then he slipped inside.

He just barely set foot on the porch, when he noticed a girl around Kakashi’s age. She had inky black hair. Her eyes were so pale, that they almost looked like freshly fallen snow. She smiled and bowed. “Good day, Uchiha-sama. May I perhaps be of assistance?”

“Good day, Hyūga-san. I’m looking for Neji. I believe your Head is already aware of my visit.”

“Then please follow me.” she said, waving him into the building.

He followed her trough the corridors until the reached the dojo. Just as he’d been told, Neji was there, sparring with his younger cousin. A brief glance with his Sharingan was enough, to know that the older was working on correcting Hanabi’s small flaws and to help her increase speed and fluidity of movement.

Hiashi’s gaze fell on him and Sasuke gave the man a brief nod. As Hanabi leapt away, Sasuke used the chance to use a quick _Shunshin_ to get behind Neji, ready to strike...

Which of course, the older male caught. Sharingan stared down Byakugan for a moment and they exchanged a few quick strikes, most of Neji’s attempts batted away or intercepted. Of course, Neju himself was familiar enough with his style to dodge, but a few still found their mark, causing the Hyūga to wince.

After the short bout he leapt back and smirked. “Looks like your speed’s getting better. Running from Otōto’s strikes does good, huh?“

Neji rolled his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. I know _you_ dodge his strikes too. I bet you wouldn’t take one to the face without Susanno’o active.”

Sasuke snorted. “Are you kidding me? Give it some time and he’s gonna be cracking that too.”

“Happened before?“ Neji asked knowingly, as he grabbed a bottle and took a drink.

Sasuke hummed. “You could say. So, can we go?“

Neji nodded, stealing a glance at Hiashi. “Oji-san...“

Hiashi waved. “Go, Neji.”

“Arigato.” he dipped his head to the Clan Head and turned to him. Sasuke hummed for a moment, thinking about what place to use. The training ground they’d used last time was currently occupied by a Genin team, so...

“Meet me on the Hokage plateu.” he said and disappeared in a _Shunshin_. No one would bother them there.

* * *

Naruto glaced down at the bags filled with groceries. Since Sasuke had gone to help Neji train, the shopping was his today, not that he minded it all that much. Now that shopping was done, he could slit down and research some more Fūinjutsu. If Madara really suceeded in releasing the Jūbi, then they would need one hell of a seal, to contain it again.

And since their father and uncle weren’t here to help, that fell on his shoulders. If he was correct, summoning the Gedō Mazō would not damage the moon itself— it would just tear the space-time seal apart, which had entrapped their grandmother. So... if they could redo the seal, they could theorically seal the statue and their grandmother, without the Rinen’gan.

Or without creating a new moon.

 _Duh_ , that would be a mess. It would most likely flip the natural balance onto its head. He was sure their father wouldn’t be too happy with them — or any of the kami watching over the realm— if they messed with natural balance and tried playing god, without having any right to such things.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts, that he ended up colliding with someone. He grunted at the pain and the next thing he noticed was the panicked squeel. As his attentio snapped to the person, whith whom he collided...

His eyes went wide and he gently dropped his grocery bags. “Oh, gomen nasai, Karin-chan.“ he muttered softly, as he offered a hand to his fellow Uzumaki, “It’s my fault. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. Weren’t you hurt?”

Karin shook her head. “I’m fine, Naruto-kun.“ she said, her red eyes flickering to the ground. Naruto caught the movement and found a broken food container, all its contents spilled to the ground.

“Oh, was that your food? I’m so ashamed now.” he said, his tone a mix of sheepishess and sadness. Inwardly, he cursed himself for his clumsiness and wandering thoughts. He should have been paying attention, instead of worrying about the seal, while out on the streets.

Karin blinked and shook her head. “It’s no problem. I’ll just buy a new one.”

“Iie, iie. Let me invite you, Karin-chan. I was the clumsy one.”

She blinked owlishly and then she shook her head rapidly, her face red. “N-no need. I can just...”

“I _insist_.“ he said gently, but strongly. “It’s my fault, so I insist you let me fix it. Which means, I’m inviting you to eat.”

She blushed even more. “Ooh, well... Fine, then.”

Naruto smiled. “Wonderful.“ he quickly created a Shadow Clone and shoved the grocery bags into the copy’s hands and waved it off. The clone rolled its eyes at him before disappearing in a water Shunshin.

With that done, he smiled at Karin, offering her his arm. She blushed again, but took it with a small, shy smile. Naruto glanced down at her curiously — it was odd. He wasn’t overly tall, but she was even shorter, than him. “What’s your favourite food, Karin-chan?”

She answered without missing a beat, her eyes glimmering with just a bit of glutonny. “Gyoza.”

Naruto’s lips quirked upwards. “I know just the place.“ he said, steering her off from the main street to the right. He hoped she’ll enjoy the food.

* * *

Slipping into Madara’s old hideout without a sound was one of the easiest things, Zetsu noted. His quest had been sucessful. It had taken longer, than he would have liked, but the goddamn ruins were on the bottom of the ocean, so it wasn’t so surprising. It was so convenient, that the two had been carefless — or perhaps Indra has decieved the fool Senju.

It didn’t matter much to Zetsu — what mattered, was that he had the scroll and it was teeming with power. The malicious power was mixed with the vitalising energies of Mokuton and pure, unreined Natural Energy.

He slipped onto the Gedō Mazō and grinned widely.

“Zetsu.“ the call was sharp and unexpected. Zetsu stopped to turn towards the voice. It was Obito, dressed and ready for battle, even the massive Gunbai on his back. Only the mask was missing. The single eye fell onto the scroll. “What is that?”

 **“A spirit. The consciousness of the Jūbi,** in a sense. It’s real consciousness. The nine Bijū are just its chakra.“ he explained. **“And the Senju boy had found and sealed it for us.** The best is that some of the Kyūbi’s chakra had been absorbed by it. This will wake the **Gedō Mazō enough for us to be even more sucessful in containing the Bijū.”**

Obito hummed, his posture showing satisfaction. “Perfect. It seems, the Senju is helping us to our goal.”

“Indeed he does.“ Zetsu agreed and then threw the scroll, which was glowing with a mix of black-red chakra into the statue.

 ** _‘And soon, dear Obito, when the Bijū are captured, you can go. I won’t need you anymore. Indra will step up. The world will be his and not yours or Madara’s. And when Indra opens the seal, Okā-sama may rise once more.‘_** the creature thought in satisfction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave comments. Thank you :3


	58. Meeting Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some family reunions.  
> OR, alternatively the chapter where (poor) Yugito is beyond confused and Matatabi doesn´t give straight answers at all...

Sasuke took his stance, very aware of Hiashi’s curious gaze trailed on both him and Neji. For once, to quell the Clan Head’s curiusty about the Jōgan, he’d agreed to let the man join them. So, they were atop the Hokage Mountain again, a simple barrier activated, to keep the session as private, as possible.

“So, show me your eyes, _cousin_.” he called with a grin. The past few sessions had been to figure out how much chakra it took for Neji to use his new eyes and how long he could keep them active. Now, it was time to test them in direct combat.

Neji rolled his eyes but did as he was asked. Sasuke felt the small ripple of chakra and then he watched Neji’s pale eyes change. During the first few times, he had to activate the Byakugan before acessing the Jōgan, but now he could go for the higher level straight away.

Sasuke hummed. It had been established, that Neji could still see the chakra pathways, just as good as before and it had also been revealed, that he could see the small “threads“ that connected dimensions. That, Sasuke mused was odd — from what he remembered only the and the Rinne-Sharingan had been capable of seeing, creating and trespassing such dimensions.

Neji just barely took his stance, but Sasuke didn’t wait for him. He attacked straight away, but Neji wasn’t as taken aback, he he would have thought. Neji’s moves seemed clumsy, ver much unlike him, which made it easier to fight, Sasuke noted. Only it wasn’t as easy as he thought, because it seemed as if Neji was aware of his intentions. Almost as if...

Sasuke leapt back and cleared his mind. If his theory was correct, he was indeed the best person to help Neji. Naruto could drop in a few times and help him with the ‘sensing‘ part later. Once he was sure his mind was clear of anything stratecigal, he leapt at Neji once more, letting instincst take over. No thoughts or plans, just pure insitinct, gradually inreasing his speed.

Neji grit his teeth, and soon he was forced on complete defensive, but Sasuke didn’t even leave him time to breath. If he gave the Hyūga some time, he would get retailiation and he didn’t feel like letting half of his tenketsu be shut down.

He blocked the next strikes with a smirk and then swept Neji’s feet from under him, making the older fall to his back. Sasuke swiftly grabbed the shakujō from his back and channeled some chakra into it, making the crescent-like top crackle with small, purplish lightning.

“Not bad.“ he said, drawing the weapon back and offering a hand.

Neji groaned a bit but took his hand and stood up. “W-what was that? For a moment...”

“You saw how I moved.“ Sasuke stated, “You saw it and then suddenly didn’t.”

“Yes.“ the Hyūga addmitted, “It was strange.”

Sasuke hummed. “It seems your eyes have some basic predictive abilites, like my Sharingan. However, when I cleaned my mind and let my instincts take over, like when I fight Otōto, your eyes kind of went ‘blind‘. That’s why you lost in the end.”

Neji’s eyes went wide, as he let his Jōgan slip away. “P- _predict_ moves? Like the...”

“Hai.“ Sasuke nodded calmly, “To me it seems. Not as precise as the Sharingan, though. What was it like?“

Neji shook his head. “I don’t know. It... I didn’t see your moves. They’re still too fast for me to follow. More like I had a... _hunch_ about what you might do next and acted accordingly. And then it was all gone. Blank whiteout. The feeling just _vanished_ and it was kind of confusing.”

Sasuke’s lips quirked upwards. “Similar to the Sharingan then. To a lesser extent. And there’s a hunch I have, that’s connected to dimensions and the chakra threads of the world, but we’ve to wait for Otōto, to test that...“

He backed off and took his stance again. Neji eyed him with vary curiousty and mirrored his actions soon after.

“Now, let’s try again. And try splitting your attention a bit. As you experienced yourself, your eyes are now capabe of _more_ than before, so you have to be able to exploit these abilities simulateously. Of course, our bodies are capable of taking in more visual information, as an answer to our differently developed eyes, but there’s an extent, that needs training. This is that extent of information, I would say.”

“Alright, I’ll try.”

“And Neji...”

“Hai?“

Sasuke’s lips twitched upwards. “Remember, that to suceed, you need to be in balance with yourself and with nature. Chakra is meant to help us _connect_ and widen our wiev of the world. That was the original purpose — to prompt understanding and connection, to nature, to others to one’s self.”

Neji nodded and for a moment, his eyes fluttered shut, his hand raised into the Seal of Confrontation.

As Neji’s chakra rose, Sasuke slowly let his own out and wrapped it around the Hyūga, connecting them... Neji’s eyes flew open and then as his eyes shifted, Sasuke saw them skid on the space between them. “W-what the hell?”

“You see it, don’t you?“ Sasuke asked quietly. “You see the chakra thread.“

Neji’s wide eyes snapped to him. “What is...?“

Sasuke chuckled. “ _That_ is what Ninshū’s about. Connecting. Love. Trust. Friendship. Understanding. Balance. Chakra is used — or should be used — to create such bonds. Trough those bonds, one can understand the other. Sometimes, sometimes we know what the other wants... with Naruto not because we’re friends and brothers or because we’d lived so long, but because we share this bond. Sometimes, a mere brush of chakra, a mere glance... it’s enough. Sometimes those small things are worth more, than a thousand words.”

“Oh...” Neji blinked, “It... it was meant to repair, was it not? Chakra.”

“Indeed. It was meant to build, repair and safeguard all that is good. It was our stupidity, that brought about Ninjutsu and all that bloodshed. But now, we’re working on setting things straight again. And it is our responsiblity, that the wolrd remains in balance. That peace is maintained.”

Neji looked at him curiously and then there was a flash of respect in his pale eyes and Sasuke felt it, rather then saw it. He felt, as Neji’s chakra brushed his, bringing a feeling of respect and curiousty. “Could you teach me? For real.”

Sasuke chuckled again. “It’s what we’ve been doing all this time. Realy — the difference is, that now you can _literally_ _see_ those threads I told you about. But if you put it that way, I’ll show you what I actually meant by connecting...”

* * *

Naruto quirked an eyebrow at his aunt in shock. “You want us to... _what?”_

“You heard me, Naruto. The Raikage wants to meet with me for some discussions and I want you and Sasuke to be part of my escort.”

Violet eyes blinked at her in shock. Tsunade’s brown eyes matched his gaze without wavering. “But you have your guards — I mean, Raidō, Genma and Iwashi. They’d worked under Otō-san too, so I’m sure they’re more, than capable...”

“It wasn’t a request, Naruto.“ she said, “You and Sasuke _will_ be coming with me. Besides, you keep picking up Jinchūriki left and right. At least you may encounter Kumo’s hosts. But be careful with them.”

He sighed and dipped his head in agreement. “Very well, Oba-san. When shall we depart?“

“Tomorrow morning at sunrise.” she said seriously.

* * *

Naruto sighed in relief, when they spotted Kumo. The tall mountains and the mist craddled the village like a mother craddled her child. The closer they got, the more his senses picked up at the numerous chakra signatures. He was already looking for Matatabi and Gyūki. His siblings chakras were big and unique, so even if their hosts were just on the edge of his senses, he could identify them.

 _“Otōto... pull your senses back a bit.“_ his brother scolded mentally, _“We don’t know how Nī-sama and N_ _ē-sama might react to our presence. And I don’t feel like fending off a mad Matatabi. Knowing her, she would try clawing my eyes out.”_

Naruto sighed and did as Sasuke told him, but not without throwing him a look. _“She wouldn’t do it.”_

Sasuke’s Sharingan scanned the surrounding area — it has been constantly active ever since they left the village. Actually, with things getting heated again, his brother was falling back to the habit of keeping his Sharingan constantly active. (In the past, this gesture, showing his Sharingan all the time, had been the first sign of the growing distance between them. Now — _now_ it was a sign of Indra’s overprotectiveness.) It was cute, Naruto thought even if his brother knew he could take care of himself.

 _“You never know, Asura.“_ Sauske said softly, almost sadly.

 **“For once, I agree with Indra without hesitation, Asura-kun.“** Kurama piped up, **“There... there’s been a wedge between the nine of us for a while. It might be improving with Shukaku, Isobu and Chōmei in the frey... but Matatabi and Kokuo are an entirely different thing. We must be careful with them.”**

Naruto sighed softly, as he drew back his chakra. “Alright, alright.”

“We’re almost there, Hokage-sama.“ Genma said.

Tsunade gave an acknowledging hum and they continoued forwards.

* * *

Sasuke felt the Raikage’s gaze on himself and Naruto, as they stood behind Tsunade, as her guards. The two, who stood behind the Raikage himself were outstanding for sure — both had powerful chakra.

 _“The blonde one has a strong affinity for Raiton and Inton.“_ Naruto said, _“The other one... his chakra is advanced. That.... almost like Kekkei Genkai. Suiton and Raiton, I think. Strong. It would help if we knew their names, but I can go without that.”_

 _“Noted, Otōto.“_ he said. 

“Unlikely choice of secort, I must say, Hokage-dono.“ the Raikage spoke, his dark eyes trailed on them. “They’re rather young.”

 _“He hides it well,“_ Naruto chirped merrily, _“But our presence sets him on edge. I think, I like our Bingo Book pages even more, than before.“_

Sasuke almost laughed. _“So do I, Otōto. So do I.“_

“And very capable of doing their asignments.“ Tsunade countered evenly. “Otherwise I would not have chosen them.”

The Raikage’s eyes flickered to them and Sasuke heard the soft snicker of his brother in his mind. This would be an interesting few days.

* * *

Yugito sighed, happy to be finally done with her day. The mission had been rather tiresome. Now she wanted to do nothing else, then return to her home, eat and relax a bit. Some time in bed would definitely do good after a hot shower.

 **“I sense them.“** Matatabi whispered, half excited, half fearful. It was odd to hear a Bijū’s tone so cautious.

Yugito stopped, her eyes darting around the lively streets of her home. _‘Sense who?‘_ she asked in confusion. She really hated when her partner spoke in half sentences.

 **“ _Them_. The Konoha duo you read about. And... they really have familiar signatures. Powerful. Be careful, Yugito.“** she said. Continouing her treck home, manouvering trough the crowd without a problem.

 _‘We’re home, Matatabi. I heard the the Godaime Hokage was coming for some dscussions, but... none of her escort, even if those two are part of it, would dare to do anything out of line. It would endanger the shaky agreement we have with Konoha. And gods know Konoha wouldn’t be willing to go into another war...‘_ she said. If there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that she was safe. Inside her own home, she was safe.

A few minutes later, she spotted her home. Excited about finally relaxing, she hurried over to the door, releasing the simple locking seals on the door. She wrapped her hand around the handle...

“Hello, Nibi-chan.“ a voice drawled, snapping Yugito out of her musings. It was a voice she’d never heard before.

She whirled around to find a young teen standing in front of her. He had sun-kissed skin, alluring violet eyes and three whiskers on each of his cheeks. There was also an odd, puple rhombus-like marking in the middle of his forehead. Two stands of his hair were wrapped in white bandages and he wore odd clothes — new, yet the patterns were not so common. Mesh shirt, black pants and the white haori had black magatama pattern around the high collar. A black-clothed Konoha headband hung loosely around his neck, while a silver pendant rested above his heart. It read ‘Nine‘. The utility belt that hung around his waist was heavy with storage scorlls and shuriken/kunai holsters. But perhaps, the oddest addition was the weapon on his back. It had a circular design with rings...

 **“A shakujō.“** Matatabi said, her voice full of shock.

“Who are you?“ Yugito asked, opting to ignore her Bijū for now. The fact that this Konoha stranger knew who she was was disconcerning. Why had Ay let him into the village?

The blonde arched an eyebrow. “Hasn’t Nē-sama told you about me?“ he asked in surprise, just a little bit of hurt creeping into his voice.

Yugito scowled. “Look, I don’t know who you are, Konha-san and I _definitely_ don’t know, who your _sister_ is...”

“Don’t know?“ he asked echoing her, almost disbelievingly, but his voice quiet, careful not to draw attention, “She’s sealed in you. How can you _not_ know her?“

Yugito’s eyes went wide in shock. _‘What the... Matatabi, is he talking about you?‘_

 **“Yugito,“** her partner called, **“Let him into the house. I want to know for sure...”**

 _‘Are you...‘_ she tried, only for her Bijū to cut her off.

 **“Trust me, please.“** the Bakeneko pleaded.

Yugito sighed and gently opened the door. She threw a look at the stranger. “Come on in, Senju-san. But if you try anything, I _will_ make you regert it.” she warned.

The blonde raised an eyebrow at her and then he chuckled. “You could _try_ , but you would fail. I’d say we’re evenly matched. Bijū-wise you are outmatched, not that Nē-sama would ever raise a claw against me. If there is someone, it’s certainly her, who still remembers our father’s teachings of Ninshū. And she’d always had a soft spot for me and had been rather shameless about it, weren’t you, Mata nē-sama?”

 _‘What...‘_ Yugito murmured, eyes going wide.

 **“Just let him _in_ , Yugito!“ **her partner insisted. **“I’ll explain later.”**

Still wary and even more confused than before, Yugito sighed and waved at the blonde to get inside. Calmly, the blonde slipped into her home and as he took off his shoes, he turned towards the door and Yugito watched as he drew a barely visible symbol into the air with chakra.

It shimmered for a bit and he murmured words, that made no sense to her. **“Ninshū: Rikudō no Shukufuku.”** (Shinobi Creed: Blessing of the Six Paths)

The symbol turned gold before it dissipated and Yugito blinked. It... what was that? The air felt lighter, yet at the same time, nothing seemed to be different.

 **“He blessed the place.“** Matatabi said calm yet a bit taken aback, from what Yugito could sense, **“The blessing would bring you protection and good luck for a while, considering how strong his chakra is.“**

Yugito blinked. _‘What? I thought he was a shinobi, not some priest?‘_

Matatabi chuckled. **“I don’t think he’d appreciate being called a priest. Especially not in this time, when the world is overtaken by shinobi, in a sense. But he is... maybe... or a shinobi... or both?“**

Yugito shook her head and gestured at the blonde and led him to the sitting room. “May I bring some tea?“

The blonde smiled. “I appreciate the offer, but I will decline, thank you. Please have a seat. I would like to speak with you and from that expression on your face, Nē-sama’s been whispering this and that, correct?“

“What do you mean by _that_?“ she asked, narrowing her eyes, as she sat across from him.

The blonde chuckled. “I meant your Bijū partner. She’s my sister. My name is Senju-Uzumaki Naruto, a pleasure to meet you. May I know my fellow Jinchūriki’s name?”

Yugito blinked again, eyeing him a bit strangely. The blonde was odd, for sure. “Nii Yugito.”

He dipped his head. “A pleasure to meet you. Would you mind if we summoned Ma— wait, do you know her name? Has she told you?”

Yugito took a deep breath. This was getting confusing. An A-rank Konoha shinobi randomly turns up at her doorstep, talks nonsense, blesses her house like a weird priest... and now he was asking if she knew her Bijū’s name. Not to metion, he kept referring to said Bijū as _a sister_ in a rather old-fashioned and respectful way. What the hell was with the world today?

“Yes. I know her name. _Matatabi_.” she answered at last.

The blonde’s face lightened up and a small smile quirked at his lips. “Nice to know not everyone’s so ignorant of the Bijū. I suppose, I should thank you for taking your time to form some bond with her and bothering to learn her name, unlike many before.”

Yugito blinked owlishly. “Uh... you’re welcome?“

“So, would you mind if we Summoned her here? It’s much easier, than going into your seal. And since you know her name, I would assume her accomodations inside the seal are satisfactory.” the blonde said.

Yugito rubbed her face. She was too tied for riddles and formality... and whatever _this_ was. But she’d let him into her home, so she couldn’t kick him out now. “Summon? That would not do well, considering her size...”

“No, no...“ the blonde smiled sheepishly, “Not in her _actual_ size. We wouldn’t want to ruin your village, now would we?“

Yugito huffed. “Fine.“

Naruto smiled and bit his thumb hard enough to draw blood. And then, faster than she thought he could move, the blonde was in front of her, pressing his bloody finger on her bare skin. She felt his chakra spike and a tiny seal —a triangle within a circle— appeared on her skin. Then, he pushed some blood onto the floor between them, pushing chakra there too.

An identical seal appeared on the floor, if only bigger. Then, he waved trough a few handseals. **“Kuchiyose: Kage Jisshi Keitai: Nibi no Matatabi.”** (Summoning: Shadow Embodiment: Matatabi of Two-Tails)

The seal lit up in an odd, purplish-blue light and then there was a plume of white summoning smoke. Yugito’s eyes went wide, as she saw a small, regural cat sized version of her partner. And there was no pain or anything. Her seal hadn’t been broken.

Her eyes flickered to the blonde. “How?”

His lips quirked upwards. “Secret for now.“ he said and then his violet eyes settled on the tiny — well, _tiny_ compared to her actual size,— form of Matatabi.

Matatabi studied the foreigner for a second before she purred. **“Asura-kun.“**

The blonde bowed his head repsectfully. (Wasn’t that odd? She’d never encountered someone, who was repsectful with a Bijū in such a way.) “Nē-sama. A pleasure to see you again.”

Matatabi purred and pounced onto the blonde’s lap, much to her shock. Yugito could only stare helplessly. What the _heck_ was going on here?!

 **“I thought you died, Asura-kun? We’d all seen _Indra’s_ blade...“** Matatabi said, her tone holding sadness and anger in equal measures.

The blonde — Naruto? Or Asura? Why was Matatabi calling him by a different name?— hummed, running a hand along the burning blue fur, not at all bothered by the flames. What sort of oddity was this Konoha nin?

“Now, now Nē-sama. I would appreciate if you _didn’t_ say anything bad about Indra nī-sama.“ the blonde said warningly.

Matatabi hissed. **“How can you be defending him even after all this time? After he betrayed us? After he _betrayed_ Otō-sama?! After he _killed_ you!”**

Yugito blanched a bit — both at the Cat’s sharp tone and at the words. If... why would the Bijū say the blonde had been _killed_ , when he was obviously sitting here in her house, hale and healthy? (And whomever this Indra was, his name surely riled up Matatabi.)

“He’s as much my _sibling_ , as you are.“ the blonde said sharply, “And we’d made up this time. We ceased that feud years ago.“ he said, tone much softer and quieter this time, “We stand siide by side now. And we wish to bring Ninshū back to the world.”

The words seemed to surprise her partner even more, but they just added to Yugito’s own confusion. What was going on here? Matatabi flicked her tails and snuggled closer to the blonde. It was so odd... seeing the Bijū small and affectionate, towards a human. The blonde smiled obviously happy to see the Cat. (Another odd thing. People usually feared her and Bee. Because she was not naive and she understood, that even the respect she received here in Kumo, was mostly born out of fear.)

 **“Where is Indra now, then?“** Matatabi asked, **“I’ve sensed him in the village somewhere...”**

“He’s gone to seek Gyūki nī-sama.“ the blonde answered off-handedly. Then, his eyes settled on her again and Yugito found herself sitting straighter, as the sharp gaze settled on her. There was something in those eyes. Power, wisdom, age... something she couldn’t pinpoint. “I assume you’re curious now, aren’t you, Yugito-san?”

She huffed softly and nodded.

The blonde chuckled. “Then, I suppose, I should start at the begining. My name is Senju-Uzumaki Naruto, known to the Bijū as Ōtsutsuki Asura. Youngest child of the Rikudō Sennin and former Head of the Ōtsutsuki...”

* * *

Sasuke’s eyes settled on the dark-skinned Kumo Jōnin. He had a rather intimidating appearance and aura and would Sasuke have been anyone else, he might have cowered in front of the man or perhaps avoided him altogehther. The man’s gaze, hidden by sunglasses settled on him and Sasuke’s lips quriked upwards, as he clipped the shakujō form his back. He was sure his second eldest brother would recognise the weapon.

“Hello, Gyūki nī-sama.“ he spoke calmly, as his Sharingan spun into action, taking him into the man’s mindscape in seconds, where he was faced with Bijū and Jinchūriki at the same time.

The Jōnin eyed him warily, taking a defensive stance in front of the ushioni and Sasuke felt, as the man started drawing on his brother’s chakra. Sasuke ignored the unspoken treath of the Jinchūriki, his Sharingan merely trailed on his brother.

“Mind introducing me to your Jinchūriki, Nī-sama?“ he asked, as he bowed towards the massive creature, careful to keep his posture non-treathening and his tone respectful.

Gyūki’s heavy stare settled on him ** _. “Indra...“_** he rumbled, his voice making the seal space tremble, as chakra washed over everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are my life force, so please drop some, when you are done :3


	59. Mission in Kumo

Sasuke didn’t even twitch, as the chakra washed over his very being, ruffling his hair and clothes in the process. It was strangely comforting to feel the overwhelming presence of Gyūki after so long, even if the octopus was trying to intimidate him. (Not that he blamed his brother. They hadn’t parted ways on good terms, after all.)

 **“It’s indeed you... Indra.”** he rumbled, reaching a tail out to coil around his Jinchūriki in a protective manner. It kind of stung, that Gyūki thought him a threat, but it was also reassuring, that his brother had found a human to trust, other than Asura.

His eyes lingered on the man, who was his second eldest brother’s host. A man from the Bingo Books — Killer Bee, if he recalled correctly, tag partner of the current Raikage.

“Who are ya?“ Bee asked, his stance tense stiff, ready to attack, even if Gyūki was holding him back from doing so. “Wait... I know ya... the Konoha one from the Bingo Book. The Uchiha.“

Sasuke hummed softly. “Uchiha Sasuke, yes. And you’re Killer Bee. Ay’s tag partner.” his Sharingan settled on Gyūki. “I will do no harm to your host, Gyūki. It would be hypocrisy, considering this time around, _Asura_ is in this very situation.”

“Wait a sec... how do ya know _his_ name?“ Bee made a gesture at Gyūki.

Sasuke snorted softly. “I would have a very poor memory and it would be a shame on me as well, if I forgot the names of mine own siblings.“

“Sibling—?” Bee’s question was cut off by the Bijū.

 **“What are you doing _here_ , Indra?“** Gyūki rumbled again. **“Are you here to do, what you swore to do? To lock us up even _more_ , than we already are?”**

Sasuke sighed. “No such thing, Nī-sama. I’m here to mend what I have broken so long ago. And I’m here to warn you of a great danger. Danger to you and your Jinchūriki as well. To the world.“

“Slow _down_ a bit ya two.“ Bee snapped, “Someone would tell me what’s going on?!”

Sasuke sighed. “Name’s Ōtsutsuki Indra...”

Bee raised an eyebrow. “You said it was Uchiha... Speak straight kid, goddamn it!”

Sasuke groaned. “Keep quiet for a moment, _will you!_ ” he snapped, his eyes taking a sharp turn, “Shinju help me, you’re worse, than Naruto.” Bee seemed taken aback and Sasuke sighed, satisfied that he finally had the man’s attention. “In this time, I was born as Uchiha Sasuke. However, long ago, I was Ōtsutsuki Indra. Older son of the Rikudō Sennin and brother of the Bijū, first wielder of the Sharingan and forefather of the Uchiha Clan.”

Bee froze up, staring at him in shock.

 **“Why come now, Indra?“** Gyūki asked sharply, **“What _changed_?”**

Sasuke sighed, looking at his brother once more. “Thousands of years of bloodshed... and it no longer had any meaning... people don’t know what Ninshū is anymore and it’s our fault.“ he said quietly, “We wish to change that. To guide the world, side by side and set everything right. To make Otō-sama proud.”

Gyūki eyed him sharply without a word. Sasuke waited for him to speak, but when his brother remained silent, he continoued again. “Watashi o yurushitekudasai, Nī-sama.“ he bowed, “I know that my past mistakes cannot be erased from memory. I know that the bloody consequences of said actions cannot be erased from history either. I can only hope, that you may find it in you, in the future, to forgive me... someday. I lost the right to expect any form of trust from you... but I hope, for the sake of every living creature, that you would allow me to at least try saving you and Bee. We cannot allow the masked man, to open the seal.”

 **“Masked man...“** Gyūki murmured, **“The one, who controlled the fox?”**

Sasuke nodded. “The very same. In ripping Nī-sama from my godmother’s seal, he robbed Otōto of his parents and a normal life. He got hold of Yagura and Sanbi as well. We only managed to free them a while ago. I fought him...“ he sighed, “He has only one eye, form our observation, but his visual prowess is great enough to enslave you, to break your seals. He wishes to bring calamity to the world with the Shinju’s power.”

Gyūki blanched, as if he’d hit. **“How does a human know of the Shinju in _this time_? For all I know, for the humans, the Shinju and Otō-sama are all legends. They don’t even know about you or Asura.”**

Sasuke nodded. “I’m aware of that. How he knows... it’s tricky to answer. Complicated at the moment. It involves past and present at the same time. I am afraid we don’t have time for such explanations now.”

The oniushi huffed. **“Let’s say I believe you for now... But give me just a small reason, the smallest one, Indra and I _will_ make you regret turning traitor.”**

Sasuke winced on the inside. On the outside, he kept his calm facade. He should have expected such a comment from Gyūki. Always protective of his younger siblings...

“I only wish to mend what has been broken.“ he countered quietly, “To see the world safe.”

 **“Very well. But make no mistake, _Tsuki no Uraishi_... long is the road to your redemption.“** his brother rumbled warningly.

Sasuke dipped his head. “Arigato, Nī-sama. This time you will not regret trusting me. I swear on the Rikudō.” he glanced at Bee, “I hope to see your skills as well, brother. It’s been a while since someone other than Asura gave me a challenge.“

Bee opened his mouth to answer, but then Sasuke’s eyes spun and he faded from the seal. He had stayed too long as it was... any longer and someone might notice in the real world, which was not something he wanted.

* * *

Naruto sat in Yugito’s appartment, patiently waiting for her to process everything he told her. It wasn’t an everyday occurance after all, that someone told you about reincarnation. Naruto understood, that the situation was a bit strange and probably a bit overwhelming.

“You’re really...“ she made a gesture.

 **“He is.“** Matatabi purred. **“Come now Yugito, I recognise my own Otōto.”**

Yugito sighed, rubbing her face. “W-what should I call you then?“

Naruto smiled a bit, sensing nervousness from her. Shock, respect and a good amount of nervousness. “Naruto, in public. Otherwise you may call me Asura, as well.“

She eyed him for a moment, unsure and then nodded. “Shall we find Bee, then? I would imagine you want to meet him as well, Asura-sama.”

Naruto twitched a bit. “Naa, none of that formality, Yugito. You’re practically family, as Matatabi’s host. And I hate when family’s formal.”

 **“You say?“** Matatabi purred and Naruto rolled his eyes.

“That’s entirely _different_ matter, Nē-sama.“ he said. Matatabi huffed and jumped from his lap. With his sister gone, the blonde stood up. “Let’s find Gyūki, then.“

Matatabi purred and then she was gone in a plume of smoke. Yugito looked at him. “Fair warning... Bee is his own spieces of human, pretty hard to deal with so...“

Naruto chuckled. “I doubt he’s harder to deal with, than Indra nī-sama. Nothing to worry about Yugito-nē.”

Yugito blinked at him. “Did you just...”

He grinned. “The Bijū are our siblings and that makes their _Jinchūriki_ our siblings too. One big _family_.”

The blonde woman blinked and then a small smile appeared on her face. “You know, no one’s called me family in such an easy manner in a very long time. It’s... nice.”

* * *

Sasuke kept his eyes closed for a moment, after he felt his consciousness snap back into his own body. When he was sure he had his bearings, he opened his eyes, this time without the Sharingan and looked at the older man.

“How old are you then?“ Bee murmured.

Sasuke’s lips quirked into a half-smirk. “Physically I’m not over my second decade. Mentally and spiritually... way too old for you to trully grasp it, Bee-san.”

Bee opened his mout to say something, but they were interrupted by new arrivals. Two of the three had the dark skin of Kumo natives. However, it was the female, who caught Sasuke’s attention, sharp molten gold eyes and fiery red hair. She could have passed for an Uzumaki.

“Sense...“ the redhead called only to cut herself off, as she saw him and her eyes narrowed a bit. “What is a Konoha nin doing here?“

“He’s part of the Hokage’s escort.“ Bee said calmly, “And we crossed paths.“

“Nī-sama!”

The Kumo group perked up at the call and Sasuke smiled, as his eyes landed on Naruto and a blonde woman, who was obviously with him. “Otōto. Oh, I see you found her as well.“

Naruto gave a small chuckle. “Not so hard. The place is full of Raiton and Suiton users. Her chaka is so blatantly _searing_ , that it’s almost like yours. I’ve yet to meet someone, who has better grasp of Katon, than you.”

Sasuke snorted. “You can go looking, if you want.”

“Nee, don’t be so _mean_.” Naruto pouted.

“I’m not.“ he looked at the blonde woman next to his brother and nodded. “Pleasure to meet, Nibi.“

Naruto grinned at Killer Bee. “Hachibi.”

Bee’s expression was one of shock. That, Sasuke decided, was the best part of the day. “ _Kyūbi_.”

* * *

Their presence set the Raikage on edge. That was a fact Sasuke had come to deal with.

And now, few days into their stay, both him and Naruto had come to linger around Bee and Yugito, which obviously set the man on edge even more. The fact, that Bee constantly kept his team around — Samui, Karui and Omoi — didn’t help much either. From the Raikage’s expression, the man had told off at least one of the two Jinchūriki about lingering around him and Naruto. And the man was obviously displeased, that Yugito and Bee ignored said warning. (Bee even dragging his team into the little party.)

Not that Sasuke minded being around them. They were a welcome change from the Konoha group — he might even have been growing fond of the brats (they may have been the same aga as him, physically, but it was obvious they were not entirely grown-up) just a bit. If only Karui and Omoi coud shut up. Gods, that redhead was way too much like Naruto. It was goddam annoying.

He scowled, flashing his Sharingan at her. “Could you two keep it _down_? Honestly, just let it go.”

The redhead’s golden eyes narrowed on him. “Oh, you think you know _better_ , than we do, cause you’re already a Jōnin?”

Sasuke’s lips curled upwards. “I don’t think, I know it better, woman. I _know_.”

“What was _that_...?!” she growled out.

“Nī-sama, must you poke at her?“ Naruto murmured from his spot perched on a rock with Yugito. they were discussing something, that Sasuke guessed involved Jinchūriki.

“I’ve absolutely no idea, what you mean by that, Otōto.“ he countered, without looking at the blonde. “I just said, she should keep _quiet_.”

“Or maybe you should stop being an _antisocial jerk_!” the redhead snapped back heatedly.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed on her. “You know... I never let anyone talk down to me like _that_.“ he growled, “You got to wait a few years, before you try talking me down, _kid_.”

She scowled. “We’re the _same age_ damn it! You just think you’re a big boy cause you’re already a Jōnin?! But if you wanna fight so much, then show me what you can do!”

“Fine with me, _red_.“ he countered, walking towards the centre of the training ground.

Her eyes narrowed in anger and she hurried after him.

“Onīīīī-samaaa....“ Naruto whined, “we’re here to _mend_ relationships, not start another war, just cause you make _tengu_ food out of a fellow Jinchuriki’s student.”

“I won’t start a war.“ Sauske said flippantly, “I’ll just teach her the value of silence, Otōto. That’s entirely different.”

“Oh, _you_...!” she drew her katana and Sasuke grinned. He took his stance and pulled the shakujō from his back, poiting the end of it at her. She raised a sceptical eyebrow. “You think you can win with that?”

Sasuke smirked. “I know I _can_ win.”

“Hey, hey!” Naruto appeared between them with a speedy _Shunshin_. “Play _nice_. And wait for the start, damn it.”

Sauske rolled his eyes, raising his right hand in the Seal of Confrontation, to flare his chakra a bit. The golden eyes narrowed and she did the same. Naruto’s violet eyes jumped between them for a momet and then he sighed, when he realised there was no way out of this match.

“Hajime!”

Sasuke shifted his shakujō and disappeared in a burst of speed. (The _Hiraishin_ may make his brother faster, once he mastered it, but _he_ had more natural speed. Asura had been more for strenght and stamina, from the start.)

Their weapons clashed, as they met in the middle of the field and Sasuke couldn’t help the smirk, that appeared on his lips, as the redhead noticed the force behind his strikes, despite using a supposedly ceremonial, non-lethal weapon.

* * *

Karui scowled at her teammates, as they left the training ground.

“You totally lost! He wiped the floor with you.” Omoi smirked.

Karui growled. “Shut your mouth, or I’ll wipe the floor with _you_!” she snapped back.

Samui deadpanned at them. “Really, what happened? It was as if he confused you. I’ve never seen you fight so uncoordinatedly.”

She scoffed. “I don’t know. I avoided his eyes, so it wasn’t a Genjutsu.”

“He was simply faster.“ their sensei spoke up, “And he used that to his advantage. More experience in fighting does that.“

Karui growled. “More experience. Come on! They’re the same age as me!”

“And both of them are already A-rank shinobi,“ Bee pointed out, uncharacteristically serious for a moment, “with an approach with caution order and those below A-rank were warned to flee if they see the two together.”

Karui grunted.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke, Karui noted, was an enigma she’d never seen.

He was completely composed and professional, when around the Kage. Detached a bit, when it came to interacting with her and her team. _Cold_ , even. Detached and composed and professional —and almost archaically formal. No... in fact, his whole speech pattern seemed to be outdated sometimes, mostly when he spoke to Naruto.

Those two had the oddest bond _ever_. As Senju and Uchiha, she would have thought they might try to thortle one another. But no. Instead, they treated one another, like brothers — she knew from Yugito, that there was only a few months of difference between them, making Sasuke older. Yet... yet he acted as if he were _years_ older, than the blonde, responisble for his well-being.

It was confusing and cute at the same time. Because when the two interacted it seemed the walls he had around himself disappeared, just for a bit. It was as if only the blonde could see who he really was.

Perhaps it was the side-effect of how his Clan were no longer around... there wasn’t a soul in the Nations, who hadn’t heard about the Uchiha Downfall.

Shaking her head she headed to her favourite food stand, which sold local specialities. It was a small place, but it sold quality food, which made it all the more attractive to natives. The foreigners who trespassed the village, rarely found it.

She slipped into the small building and greeted the waitress— Fubuki— with a smile. “The usual?“

Karui grinned. “Yes, please.”

Fubuki disappeared into the kitchen and Karui sauntered to her usual booth... only to find it taken. Her eyes narrowed a bit. “What are _you_ doing here?“

Pitch black eyes rose slowly and she fidgeted, when she realised the Uchiha was checking her out. Now more than ever, she was conscious of her flat chest and vibrant red hair. Oh kami, how she wished her hair was a more normal colour! (Because, goddamn it, he may be an arrogant bastard, but he was a _handsome_ arrogant bastard.) And that aura of power... dangerous, yet somehow still magnetic.

Then, his eyes finally met her and he made a gesture with his chopsticks. “Eaing, of course. It’s a restaurant, after all.”

She scoffed. “This is _my_ spot.“

He made a show of glancing around. “I don’t see your name written anywhere here. So it’s free to be taken.” her eyes narrowed and he made a careless gesture at the other seat, “But if you’re so used to habits, take the other seat. I don’t bite, you know.”

She hesitated only for a moment. She glanced around — most of the place was taken, there was one spot empty... but those kids by the other table were a bunch, who always made fun of her because of her hair. So either them... or the Uchiha.

 _‘Not a hard decision.‘_ she murmured to herself, as she slipped into the seat across from the Konoha Jōnin.

Not long after Fubuki appeared with her order — bowl of soba noodles in broth, a few sticks of dango and a cup of tea.

She started eating and waited for him to speak, but the Uchiha remained stubbornly silent and it was grating on her nerves. “How come you be a Jōnin so fast? We’re the same age.”

He stopped, the bite lingering in the air for a moment, before he carefully set it down. “Field promotion. Naruto ad I went to Kiri with our former teachers.“

Her eyes went wide. She’d heard some things about what happened in Kiri, but she thought them to be exagerated rumours. “You dealt with a Bijū?!”

He hummed, his face calm. “We did. Landed us in the Bingo Book, as a tag.“ he smirked then.

 _‘So Bee-sensei wasn’t kidding at all.‘_ she thought. She continoued to eat then, musing over what she heard.

“You seem close to him.“ she said, “To Naruto I mean. You’re teammates for a while now, no?“

“He’s my brother.“ he corrected calmly, as he took the last few bites of his food.

“But... he’s a Senju?“ she tried, “And Uzumaki? You know... everyone knows about the feud between...” she was cut off, as his eyes narrowed on her and she felt some Killing Intend leak from him. It made her shiver.

“Naruto is _my brother_ and that is all you have to know, Karui-san.“ he said coldly, the previously calm, almost easy-going air faded in moments. He stood up then and left without a backwards glance.

She scowled. “Arrogant jerk. And rude too.”

She shook her head and turned to her food instead, chosing to finish it calmly, ignoring the fact, that the Uchiha had been here.

When she was done, she walked up to the counter and looked at Fubuki, taking out her purse and the ryo. Fubuki shook her head. “No need, Karui-chan.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fubuki-san, I told you I will not eat here for free...”

“N-not that.“ Fubuki said, shaking her head, “The handsome Konoha Jōnin you sat with paid for the food. His and your too. And left a big tip too.”

Karui blinked owlishly. “He did _what?_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please leave comments :3  
> Thank you


	60. Shades of Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sniplets of Karui and Indra/Sasuke, trough the Konoha delegation’s stay in Kumo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I´m not sure this chapter turned out good... but, well...

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, as she noticed the looks between Sasuke and the redhead. She kept glaring at him and Sasuke in turn, kept giving her calm, but challenging looks. It seemed like she was missing something. So, when they were done for the day and she waved off her escort to have some time off, she stopped Sasuke.

“Is there something I should know about?“

The Uchiha blinked at her, finally allowing his Sharingan to fade — he was keeping it active most of the time, which was a bit unnerving for the other party. She was surprised the Raikage hadn’t yet made a comment about the active Dōjutsu — knowing the man, he would have taken it, as a hostile gesture.

“Know about _what_?“ Sasuke asked, rising an eyebrow, “What do you mean, sensei?”

“Oh, come now! I’ve seen the looks you keep throwing to the feisty redhead. Is there something between you?“

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed, his face becoming cold and hard like stone. “Nothing at all. She’s just annoying the hell out of me, but nothing for you to worry about. It does not interfere with my work.“

She gave him an amused look. “You know, I’ve seen how you two act around one another. Perhaps she likes you?“

Charcoal flared into glowing red for a second and then it was gone. Sasuke scowled. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not interested in pursuing a relationship. The last one I had had ended in big enough disaster.“ his tone low and dark, chilling her to the bone. Then, without any other comment, he walked out.

She blinked in shock, watching her student leave. Odd behaviour for sure...

* * *

Sasuke scowled. Him and Karui? Come on, the girl was pure _annoyance_! Naruto was a lot like that, but Naruto was his little brother, so he was obliged to put up with that behaviour, to an extent (and scold him, if he went overboard) — that’s why he was the older brother. He was supoosed to watch out for Naruto, even if it meant putting up with some of his childishness... but then again, he had been doing it for a while, so it was nothing new.

He scowled again. Him _and_ Karui?

 _Not in this millenia_. She was annoying. And... and after what happened to Shachi... after how he failed her and their children — she had been pregnant, when he had left and he hadn’t even known the child’s gender...— he didn’t want a repeat of that. He didn’t want to fail again. No child of his would ever fall for the _Nikushimi no Noroi_ ever again.

If Itachi found someone, to continou the Uchiha name, that was okay. He didn’t want the Clan to go extinct, despite everything... but _him_ — finding a woman? **_No_**. Shachi.... and his failure... never again. And the best was to keep his distance.

Tsunade was being ridiculous. He would not make the same mistakes again — he’d failed once, as a father. A part of him wished to have a chance, to do things differently, than before... another part feared failure again. And Shachi... he still remembered her loving gaze. She had been the only one, who’d gotten past his walls, who’d touched his hardened heart, after Zetsu turned him against his own blood. 

She had been the only one, who never feared him, who trully knew him... because even those, who had agreed with him and followed him... even they feared him, to an extent. The only one who’d never feared him, who could make him stop and think of things, which he would have otherwise ignored, had been Shachi. And that... that drew him in. Her kind, yet stern nature was something, that had been like a magnet...

But Shachi was _gone_ and he was alone. (Naruto had found Karin and as days passed, they grew closer and closer. He was _happy_ for his otōto... but he doubted _he_ would ever find happiness. He wasn’t sure he even wanted to find someone, only to dissapoint and lose them again...)

He had to addmit though, Karui was in some ways like Shachi... _‘No, don’t think like that. Even if she is like that... that’s the very reason she has to stay as far from me, as possible.‘_ he thought, shaking his head.

He grunted softly, leaning against the metal railing atop one of the cliffs, looking down at the village — this wasn’t as tall, as the Hokage Monument back home, but it still gave fine wiev of Kumo and even with the cloudy greyness and the patches of green... Kumo had a different, cool beauty to it. The air was heavy and he could tell it would rain soon.

“Heh, what are _you_ doing here?“called a sharp voice.

Sasuke cursed in the back of his mind for not paying attention — for some reason, his sensei’s words had disturbed him more than he would have liked, bringing forth the long burried memories of Shachi and their children,— and in the process, he ended up here and totally forgot the first and most important rule of shinobi in foreign territory. _Always be aware of your surroundings and expect the unexpected._

He shook his head mentally and chose to ignore the redhead. He was in no mood for company. He would have liked to have Naruto here, but Naruto was with Bee and Yugito, the three of them discussing Jinchūriki things and knowing the blonde, he was also teaching the two some basics of Ninshū, that would help them harmonise more with their surroundings and their Bijū.

“Hey, did you _hear_ me?!“ Kari growled out, “I asked what were you doing here?“

Sasuke scowled and glared at her. “I wanted to be alone, but it seems, being alone is impossible even in a village as big, as Kumo.“ he growled, “How about you leave me to my thoughts?“

“I thought thinking _hurt_ your head?“ she shot back, “You know, cause you need to think, to speak and you speak so little...”

His scowl deepened and he flashed his Sharingan at her, turning away. If he ignored her, she would be gone soon enough, of that he was sure. “Just leave me to my ghosts, _girl_.“ he grunted, closing his eyes.

Much to his displeasure, she didn’t leave, like he would have wanted. Instead, she darted closer and stood next to him quietly. It was strange, having a girl next to him, when he had been thinking about Shachi — it was almost like...

“Is it a girl, that bothers you?“ she asked.

 _‘Yes... you.‘_ he thought heatedly. On the outside though, he remained composed, but he couldn’t help, but throw her a degrading look. “None of your _business_.” releasing just a touch of Killing Intent to warn her off topic. It didn’t exactly make her go away...

She rolled her eyes, but remained quiet. Slowly, the sun was setting and the creeping shadows made him remember the moonlit nights he’d spent with Shachi. The times, when he forgot his desire for power, when he forgot his hate. But she was gone... he was back in life and she was gone. The only one he’d ever truly loved.

“I thought cool playboys like you, weren’t bothered by girls leaving them, in fact you are the ones, most of the time, who ditch...”

He glared flashing his Sharingan again. She closed her mouth, her gold eyes going wide just a bit. “She’s dead.” he answered in a clipped tone.

Then, before Karui could say anything else, he whirled on his heels and stode father form her, before disappearing in a swirl of searing white flames.

* * *

Karui scoffed at herself. Why did she care about the likes of Uchiha Sasuke? He was exactly the type of boy she hated. Cool, perfect, _playboy type_ , who ditched the girls as frequently, as shinobi discarded blunted kunai...

 _“She’s dead...” he’d said._ The word were flat, distant, cool in a way and it sent a shiver down her spine. He had cared for her, that much she could discern from even those short, clipped words.

Still, there was _something_ about Sasuke. It was obvious, that there had been someone in his life, someone very dear, despite the fact, that they were the same age... and he had lost her. Was it the reason, why he was being so cool and rude to her?

She collided with someone and she cursed. “What the fu...“ her rant was cut short, when her gold eyes fell on one intimidating Konoha Jōnin. Senju-Uzumaki Naruto was no less intimidating, than his Uchiha ‘brother‘, altough where Sasuke had some sort of coldness to him, the blonde was like the sun personified.

The blonde gave her an apologetic look. “Gomen’nasai, Karui-san. Are you alright?“ he asked, concern flashing in his violet eyes.

She shook her head and nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. I wasn’t paying attention. Gomen.“ she murmured.

He gave her a cordial smile. “Have you by chance, seen my brother?“

There was it again... it seemed, it came to both of them naturally. Scions of two opposing Clans, yet they called the other ‘brother‘ without thinking. It was a mystery... She shrugged an grunted. “He ditched me earlier, so I’ve no idea, where he might have gone.”

Naruto raised an eyebrow at her. “Ditched...?“ he sighed, “Excuse his behaviour, please. From what I heard, he had a little squabble with Tsunade oba-san. He should be fine, soon I suppose, but it’s one more reason for me to find him.”

She waved the blonde off and manouvered around him, to let him find the Uchiha, when it occured to her, that he may know something about the girl. “Naruto-san?“

The blonde stopped and shifted to look at her again. “Yes?”

“Who was the girl he lost?“ she asked.

For a moment, the blonde’s violet eyes— a typical colour among the Royal Uzumaki, so she’d heard from Bee-sensei,— darkened, but then it was gone as fast, as it had come. “Someone very dear. Someone he loved with all his heart. He blames himself for her death.”

The words hit something in her... A caring man, then. It seemed, Uchiha Sasuke wasn’t as cold, as she initially assumed. There was more to him. “W-what happened to her?“

The blonde eyed her for a second before he shook his head. “You should ask Nī-sama. That’s not something I should share.“ and with that, he took to the roofs, leaving her standing in the middle of the street, her mind filled with Uchiha Sasuke and the thoughts of a dead girl...

... and for some reason, knowing that he had loved that girl with all his heart, made her feel cold inside.

* * *

**_That night:_ **

“You should give her a chance, you know. I could sense, that beneath her annoyance at you, she was really intriguted.“

Those were the words Naruto greeted him with, when he arrived in their shared room. Sasuke gave his brother a look and then shook his head. “You know that I can’t...“

“Shinju damn it, Nī-sama.“ Naruto growled, eyes narroving into vulpine slits. “Shachi would want yo to be _happy_. Besides... do you want your line to die out... to die out as traitors? Itachi finding someone is unlikely with all the rumours going around. He _may_ find someone... but if he doesn’t, the Uchiha die with you. You said so, that you wish to redeem...”

“I don’t want to speak about this.“ he said, as he sat on his temporary bed, slowly starting to free himself from his shinobi gear.

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest. “I just want you to be happy. You’re lonely...“

Sasuke scoffed at him. “Now, you’re being _ridiculous_ again, Otōto. I have you and Itachi. Kakashi and Yamato are also there. I’m fine.“

“No, you’re not. You had a woman in your life before and loving someone like that cannot be missed from one’s life.“

“Nor can they be _replaced_.“ Sasuke bit back sharply, his Sharingan flashing and chakra spiking in warning . Naruto stiffened and Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes. “Gomen, Asura-chan.“ he murmured softly, using the old childish name, to show he meant it.

“Sasuke...”

Sasuke threw the nightclothes over his head and squirelled under the covers. “I’m fine, as I am, Asura. You don’t have to worry about me.” he said, pulling the covers higher and turning towards the wall. “Oyasumi, Otōto.”

“You should give her a chance. Just _one_.“ Naruto whispered tentatively.

Sasuke pretended not to hear, as his eyes closed.

* * *

Sasuke ate the ramen calmly the next day. It wasn’t as good as Ichiraku’s or Naruto’s hommade one, based on his mother’s reciepe, but it was good enough. Besides it sated his hunger — not to mention, that Karui was a predictable person. From his previous encounter with the redhead and from what he’d heard from Bee, she always ate here, around the same time, useless she was out of the village, due to some mission or another.

“You _again_?“ Karui asked irrately. “Are you following me or what?!” Sasuke didn’t even need to look up, to know that her eyes were narrowed in that angry, yet endearing way as always.

He glanced up, flashing her a small smirk. “Are you taking a seat red? Or will you just stare at me, while I eat? It’s rude to stare, though... you know?”

She twitched and the next moment, her fist went flying. He saw the tell-tale signs in time, even without an active Dōjutsu, so he calmly raised his left hand and caught her punch. It was strong alright, but not even half of what Naruto and Tsunade were capable of.

Her eyes went wide, as his hand tightened around hers. “H-how?“

“You punch well, red... but my sensei and my brother are Senju. Known medics and masters of chakra-enhanced strenght. This was nothing, compared to what they can do.” he said calmly, using some chakra, carefully — he wasn’t as good with this, as his brother— to enhance his own strenght and push the redhead into the opposite seat.

She blinked at him in shock, but as he turned back to his food, she remained quiet.

Soon, her own food arrived and for a long while, they ate quietly. However, predictably — very much like Naruto,— she couldn’t stand long-stretching silence, so she spoke. “Who was she?“ she asked quietly.

Sasuke twitched. He should have never even mentioned Shachi... has she spoken to Naruto? He scowled a bit. “Hasn’t my brother told you?“

“No.“ she admitted calmly, “He said it was yours to share.“

Sasuke turned to his food and grabbed a _naruto_ — the last one in the portion— and glared at it viciously, before sallowing it whole, as if the blonde would feel something, if he did so... but it was ridiculous. (Seriously, what had his godmother been thinking, naming her only son after a ramen ingredient?)

Fubuki arrived with Karui’s order and then left, altough Sasuke noticed the glint in her eyes, as she looked at Karui.

“I loved her and she died.“ he answered simply.

Karui didn’t say anything and for a long moment, they were preoccupied with their food. He wondered what Shachi might have felt... suffering in childbed, while he fought Asura... if only they hadn’t fought, he could have been by her side. Perhaps even his brother could have been there and he could have healed her...

“She died because I wasn’t there. Bled to death.“ he said quietly. (Alright... it wasn’t _entirely_ accurate, but it did feel like her death was his fault. Their children had become orphans...)

For a moment, their eyes met — deep gold on pitch black. She didn’t say a word, but her eyes said a thousand words. For a moment it was like she understood what he felt about the past... he tore his gaze away and slowly munched at his food, so he would not have to withstand those bright, piercing eyes, similar (yet very different) to a certain pair of Uzumaki violet.

“May... may I know her name?“ she asked, almost tentatively.

Sasuke grip around his chopsticks tightened and he contemplated ignoring the question, but then Naruto’s voice flashed into his mind. Perhpaps... he was still caught up in the past, despite his best efforts to live _this_ life? To do things differently...?

“Shachi.“ he said at last, his voice like a breath of wind.

“Beautiful name.“

Sasuke recalled her — eyes like obsidians, her hair like the midnight sky, long and silky... “As beautiful, as she’d been.”

* * *

Karui glared at the group, a few years older than her. They’d always ganged up on her and bullied her for her looks. It was this — this one thing that not even her team knew about. She hadn’t had the courage to share it with them, even though she knew that her sensei would help...

“Weird. You tomato don’t even belong here!”

“And how can someone like _you_ linger around someone like Uchiha Sasuke? He’s practically royalty and you’re a commoner! An ugly commoner at that, with weird hair and eyes.“ one of the girls asked, “Your ugly red hair probably disgusts him and he’s only staying there out of...”

She took a step back, but her eyes burned with anger and unshed tears. She hated this. She _hated_ , when they ganged up on her, like this. If they were alone, or perhaps just two, she could deal with them. But not _six_...

“Have you _nothing better to do_ , than bully somone for their looks?“ a sharp voice suddenly called out, bringing with it a dreadful, bone-chilling cold. Karui’s eyes snapped towards the voice, along with the others’. The darkness from the nearby ally seemed to stretch and slowly, Sasuke melted out from the shadows, his Sharingan burning. “None of us choose our appearence. Besides, those who judge others by appearance are sallow and fools, who should never be shinobi and you six are _certainly_ ones, who should _never_ have been shinobi.“

“Hey what do you...“ one of the boys called, only to be silenced, as Sasuke’s burning eyes landed on him and more Killing Intent poured out of the Uchiha. Karui herself shivered, despite it not being focused on her.

“ _Begone_ , before I tell the Raikage what sallow, useless ones he’s addmitted into his ranks. Ones, who cannot be trusted at that, because camardire matters for every village and if you act like this in your home, during peace, then you are not to be trusted, when trust and sucess may save lives.”

 _‘Cold and dark...‘_ was her first impression, as the Uchiha stated down the six bullies, _‘Dangerous and searing-hot... what’s that chakra?‘_

The six turned on their heels and ran with their tails between their legs and she felt Sasuke’s searing, yet cold chakra wash over the area in one last, wordless warning. She stood where she was, frozen from shock and maybe just a touch fear.

Was this what an A-rank shinobi, worthy of a Bingo Book page was capable of?

He walked up to her and raised an eyebrow, as his eyes faded back to the natural bottomless black. “Are you alright?“

She scowled and looked away to hide the tears, that had pooled into her eyes. “I didn’t need your help.“ she murmured.

“ _Of course you didn’t_.“ he said, tone low and scratching. She winced a bit, ducking her head. The words the bullies had spoken were way too fresh in her mind.

“Just go, okay?“ she growled out. “Thanks for helping, but you can _go_ now.”

“Why were they bullying you anyway?“

She scoffed. “ _Just_ _go_ , Uchiha.“ she murmured, very aware of how close he was and up close, he seemed even more dangerous and handsome. This discovery just made the contrast even sharper — she was the ugly, flat-chested girl with unnatural eyes and vibrant hair, that was like fire.

“Hm, _unfair_ , you know. I answered your questions about Shachi. It’s your turn now.“ he whispered, tone sharp, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

She threw him a look. “They think my apperance weird and unnatural. My eyes and my hair —my hair, mostly.“ she huffed, “I hate that it’s red.”

For a moment he didn’t speak, in fact, he was so silent she thought he’d gone off on his way. But as she looked up, he was still there, his gaze trailed on her face... on _her_ as a whole.

“Your hair is Uzumaki-red, did you know?“ he asked quietly, “You’re obviously _not_ an Uzumaki, I can tell from your chakra... but you have the same hair.”

“W-what? What was he talking about now?“ she scowled at him.

“For decades before Uzu’s fall, whenever a redhead was seen, shinobi ran. For _red_ was the colour of death. Uzumaki Kushina... I persume you know her name?“

Her eyes went wide. Who _didn’t_ know her? The deadliest kunoich of the Elemental Nations since Senju Tsunade herself, bloody and dangrous, someone who matched Konoha’s famed _Kiroii no Senkō_. Exactly the sort of kunoichi — a master of Kenjutsu— Karui herself wanted to be.

Sasuke smirked. “I take that expression as a _yes_.“ he reached out and his fingers curled around her bright, untamed red locks. “She had hair like yours. Maybe a bit darker... but a vibrant shade of red anyway. And people feared the colour because of her — because of her kin.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but the words died in her troath, as he gently tugged at her hair and put the stand behind her ear. Then, he slowly moved to walk away and she just watched, gaping like fish out of water.

Then, he glanced back at her and... was that a _smile_ on his lips? (Damn Sennin, he looked even more handsome with that smile, than otherwise!)

“Red is beautiful, unique, deadly colour. One, that means power. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. If someone does say otherwise, they are either envious or blind fools.” he turned his gaze away and continoued walking.

Karui stood there, his voice echoing in her ears and she could feel her cheeks heating up.

(She would never addmit, but starting today, she would love, that her hair was red.)

* * *

She watched the fight with interest— Yugito was one of the best Jōnin of Kumo, a master of Katon, but Uchiha Sasuke still held his own against her without batting an eye. Flames for all sizes and colours — orange-red, blue and snow-white— filled the air and scorched the ground, yet neither relented. Yugito was using her nails-turned-claws instead of kunai or katana, slashing at the Uchiha, as fast and agile, as ever.

Uchiha Sasuke matched her strike for strike, his shakujō a perfect tool for defence and offence at the same time — oddly enough, the Uchiha hadn’t drawn a real blade, since setting foot here, despite him carrying a fancy-looking katana. Bee-sensei had said, that such geture showed, that they were here, as allies and friends.

There was a glint and Sasuke rolled out of the way of a rather vicious torrent of blue flames, not at all worried. For a moment, their eyes met and her breath caught in her troath — instead of the three tomoe in his eyes, like before, it had a star-like pattern.

“Mangekyō Sharingan...” Bee whispered.

Karui’s gaze snapped to the man, but the next, it was back to the two combatants, just in time to see the strange pattern swirl swiftly, as Yugito fell. However, before she hit the ground, Sasuke caught her and lowered her a small amused smirk playing on his lips.

”Looks like I was right in the end, heh, Yugito-nē?”

She raised an eybrow in interest. Why would he call her that, when they just barely met? Bee was there in a moment, picking up Yugito and saying something to Sasuke, to which the Uchiha shook his head and murmured something else.

Bee was gone and Sasuke made his way towards them — and their eyes met again. As she looked at the beautiful pattern, she wondered how he had gotten such eyes. Eyes so beautiful, powerful yet filled with pain and sorrow.

She wondered what was the story behind those eyes.

* * *

Sasuke huffed, leaning against the railing again, watching the village. Tomorrow, they would leave, as Tsunade and the Raikage had come to an agreement in several points and as such, there was no reason to stay. A part of him was glad, that they were leaving — he missed Konoha. It was nice, spending some time around Matatabi and Gyūky and their Jinchūriki, but he missed his home. Heck, he missed Itachi — his brother had been away for years and now he was back, but sometimes, like now, he would still get this unreasonable fear, that when he made it home, Itachi wouldn’t be there...

Not to mention the memories. Spending so much time here and the short conversation he’d had with his sensei a few days ago, still nagged at him, so Shachi’s thoughts still lurked in the back of his mind.

And Karui.

She was a fascinating girl, but she was also goddamn annoying. Childish and loud, a lot like Naruto... but there was steel beneath the childish outbursts, which once more, reminded him of his late wife. There was something... _magnetic_ about her and even as he tried keeping his distance, he found himself seeking her in the crowd.

Who was she, to twist his thoughts so? All this time, he hadn’t looked at a girl... _hell_ , he didn’t _want_ a family of his own, Itachi would continou the Clan... a part of him _did_ , but he feared failing as a father again. Feared losing his family again, as he had before.

Staying away was the best he could do. That way, no one would get hurt — not him nor Karui.

But there was something in her... her red hair was beautiful and eye-catching, like Karin’s. But where Karin was mostly shy and quiet (bar the times when Jugō pissed her off), Karui was lively and just a bit of an idiot. Like Naruto. But the way she cared for her team — even if she showed it in an odd way,— reminded him of Shachi...

He scowled at himself. _‘What am I thinking? Keeping my distance would be better for everyone...‘_

“Is this what accomplished, flee-on-sight, playboy shinobi of Konoha do **_all_** the time? Brood on their own on the highest possible spot of their current location?”

Involuntarily, Sasuke’s lips curled upwards at the voice. “Are you following me, _red_?“ he asked, stealing her a glance, Sharingan flashing in challenge.

She scoffed at him. “I’m not some creepy, stalker fangirl of yours, who’s going to swoon and fall at your feet only because you’re one of the richest shinobi in the Nations or because you have some skills...”

He rolled his eyes at her and turned back to watching the clouds lazily make their way about — hell, he was becoming a Nara! Watching clouds was a Nara thing to do...

“To me, it seemed, _you_ were following _me_.“ she shot back.

He hummed. “I wasn’t... you just stand out in a crowd. Red hair and all.” he said, slowly turning towards her.

Her eyes narrowed and she scowled. “Are you going to make fun of me too?“

He sighed and rolled his eyes. “By the Jūbi’s tails... you’re dense, aren’t you?“

Her eye twitched. “What did you just _call_ me?!” she growled, leaping at him. He elegantly side-stepped the attack, batting her fist away. It caused her to lose her balance and he quickly grabbed her to stop her from falling over the rail.

He pulled her back and looked into her eyes — an odd shade... gold. _Real, rich gold_ , something that reminded him of the sun. (She defintely had a fiery temper, to match the sun...)

“You can’t take a compliment, even when you hear one?“ he shook his head, “You’re impossible.”

She scoffed and wretched her arm from his grip, eyes narrowed. “Compliment? More like ridicule... like everyone else...“

He rolled his eyes. “You’re impossible, _woman_.“ he grunted, “My brother is half-Uzumaki. He could have very well had similar hair, like yours. My godmother, his mother actually _had_ said red hair and most of her family, too.”

There was a moment of silence and he turned away again. “I meant it, when I said, that red is a colour of strenght. And your eyes remind me of the sun.”

For a while, there was silence between them and then he heard her moving closer. She stopped next to him, as close as Naruto usually stood. It was od, having a person, other than the members of his family being so close.

“You know... no one ever said that.“ she admitted quietly, “Some just think I’m weird, but it’s written on their faces... some are downright rude.“

Sasuke huffed. “It’s foolish to judge based on appearances. We’re shinobi, who must learn to look underneath the underneath, as my former sensei would have said.”

They lapsed into silence again, watching the sun slowly set, painting the clouds into a myriad of colours.

“I’m sorry for making that comment earlier... about girls. And... maybe it wasn’t nice to ask her name either...“

Sasuke shook his head. “It happened a long time ago. It’s the past now. It’s just... sometimes it’s hard to move past some hurt. Some mistakes... especially if those mistakes were yours and cost someone else’s life.”

“I don’t think she would like to hear, that you keep beating yourself up about it.” Karui murmured.

Sasuke snorted. “Naruto keeps saying the same.”

“Well, then he’s wiser than you, apperently.”

He laughed at that. His little brother had always been more like their father and him... him, as ashamed as he was of it now... he’d been more like their megalomaniac grandmother. Ōtsutsuki Kauya-hime — the goddess who’d gone mad with her own power— was not a good example for children, he supposed. And he had followed her example and had shown something similar to his kin...

“He’s always been wiser, than me.“ he addmitted, “Younger, but wiser. It was something even Shachi noted and she hadn’t liked him in the beggining.”

“I can understand, why she may have had a dislike for him...” Karui admitted, “He’s too energetic.”

Sasuke shook his head. “We weren’t always so good at being friends and brothers. We fought a lot — caused a lot of headache for everyone around us.“ he threw her a look, “Says the loudest, most violent girl in the entire Kaminari no Kuni.”

She scoffed. “That’s how I am...“ she shrugged, “Keeps _most_ of the people away, so they bully me less.”

He shrugged. “It’s... endearing, in a way. Lot like Naruto, you know?“ he grinned, “It’s commendable, when a woman has such strong spirit. I always preferred people, who were more independent and not waiting for others to save them.“

She huffed and looked away. “What would the richest playboy of Hi no Kuni want from _me_? I’m no one of note.”

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. “Playboy? You’ve interesting vocabulary, you know.”

She snorted. “And _you_ speak, as if you’ve come from the Warring States Era.”

Sasuke grunted. “You missed a few thousand years from the list.“ he murmured quietly. “I’m older, than that.“

“What?“ Karui asked, “Did you say something?“

Sasuke sighed and shook his head. “Nothing at all.“ he glanced at the sky — it was darkening fast. “It’s getting dark. We should go.“

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you afraid of the dark?“

Sasuke snorted. “Afraid? Do I look like a _kid_ , to you? _No_. I know darkness better, than most it’s what my life was made of, for a long while. It’s part of life. Light and dark, simple balance, like day and night. The trick is not letting it twist you.”

“Is it about her? Shachi?“ she asked suddenly, as he turned to leave.

Sasuke twitched. “It’s about a lot of things. And even if it was solely about Shachi... what is it to _you_ , red? I’m used to being alone.”

He started walking away.

“Hey, you don’t get to walk away like that!” she snapped, “We’re having a conversation!”

“You’re mistaken, _red_. There’s a _difference_ between interrogation and conversation.” he answered coolly. Ever since she’d come around, she’d been poking at his walls, at his little bubble of safety and he didn’t like that. The only ones he’d allowed past that bubble... in forever had been Asura and Shachi... and it was how it was okay.

He had almost lost Asura. He had lost Shachi.

Any more close to him... and he’d lose them. That was not an opinion. No more misery, no more bloodshed will be accounted to his name. If he was alone, he was safe. (Naruto and the Bijū didn’t count, as they could defend themselves just fine.)

“Why are you being _such a jerk?!“_ she growled. “One moment you make it seem, as if you want something from me and the next you walk away and leave me without answers!”

He stopped and slowly glanced back at her. Her red hair was like blood and her golden eyes glowed in the silver moonlight. She was beautiful —just as beautiful, as Shachi had been. Perhaps even more so.

“It is safter for you, not knowing.“ he answered.

“Safer?“ she growled, marching closer. “How so? Speak straight damn it and leave the Warring States riddles where they belong!”

He gave a small snort. “I told you you have the wrong time period in mind, red.” he leaned closer. “And you want the _truth_?”

“Yes.“ she growled, “Ever since we met you were being cool and criptic!”

As he blinked, his Sharingan flared to life and she drew back in shock. “There was one I loved with all my heart. And instead of working to build something better with her, I let darkness take me. Everyone I loved, I lost.“ his eyes morphed into the higher level. “See these eyes, red?”

She stood frozen, her golden eyes wide.

“ _See_ these eyes?“ he asked again. She gave a small nod. “These eyes were born of sorrow and hate and regret. There’s something in you... something magnetic. Something _beautiful_. Something... that makes even Shachi look ordinary...“ he took a step back, “And that’s why you should stay away. I would hate taking something so intriguting from the world.“

Her eyes went wide.

“Did you just say you...?”

“Say what? Love you? No. I don’t think so. Perhaps with time I _could_ love you... there’s _something_ in you. Something I’ve never encountered before, in a woman.“ he turned away, “But I’m exactly the kind of man that parents warn their daughers of. Better for us both you forget I even exist.”

He continoued his treck, ignoring she was behind him... but then a strong hand wrapped around his wrist. He stopped to look at her.

“I thought you were just another fancy playboy... but you aren’t. You’re much more, than you appear, Uchiha Sauske.” her eyes bore into his own, seemingly able to read his soul, “Just who are you?“

“Someone dangerous. Someone you should avoid.”

She snorted. “Yet you drive me up the wall and the more you drive me up the wall, the more intriguted I am. I hate myself for addmiting it, but it’s true.“ she paused for a second. “And no one has to be alone.“

“It’s safer for us both.“

“I can protect myself.“ she shot back.

“Shachi had said the same.“ he whispered softly, pulling his wrist from her grip.

“You’re just going to walk away like that, Uchiha? You tell me you’re interested and then _you walk off?!_ Haven’t you been taught how to handle girls?”

He glanced back at her. “Not really, Karui-chan. I’ve been alone most of my life.“

And then he disappeared in a whirl of flames.

* * *

Karui stood there in the dark staring at the spot where the Uchiha had just been a moment ago. “Did he just call me _Karui-chan_?“

And then a moment later...

“Bastard.“ she fumed. He’d offered to escort her home and instead he went off on his own. She rolled her eyes. Freaking playboys...

Huffing, she decided to go home. It was late enough already, anyway.

* * *

Karui stood next to the gate, watching the Konoha group get ready for departure. Her mind still whirled with what happened last night. She wanted to speak with Sasuke about that... but she had no time. He was leaving and she was still confused.

What... what did all he had said mean? Did he want something from her? Did he mean those kind, eancouraging words? Or were those words all a fluke? The silver tongue of one, who was way too used to dealing with the fairier sex and then thowing them aside, once tired of them?

She had no idea. Reading Uchiha Sasuke was impossible. One moment he was caring, charming... the next he was a cold, antisocial jerk...

She shook her head. _‘Stop thinking about him damn it! It’s not like he would come and say goodbye. Unlikely for me to see him again, too...‘_

“Red.“

She stiffened at the call. Only one person called her that. The voice was silky and low... and familiar. Slowly she turned around to find herself face to face with the subject of her confusion. Uchiha Sasuke was perfect and beautiful, not a hair out of place... almost as if he weren’t even human. Naruto had something otherworldly in him too, but it seemed more pronounced with Sasuke... perhaps because of the burning red eyes. The burning red eyes, that held so, so much emotion... so many stories.

The burning red eyes, that were boring into her very soul.

“What do you want now, Uchiha?“ she asked.

He eyed her for a second. “Give me your hand.“

She blinked at him. “W-what?“

“You heard me.“ he repeated. His voice was calm, but he made a small impatient gesture. She hesitated for another moment, before offering a hand. He took her hand in his and there was a touch of somehting cool, but then the seraing heat of his chakra invaded her senses and a shiver ran down her spine. “Smear blood on it and I will know if you’re in trouble. I’ll help then.“ he let go of her and took a step back.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he disappeared fast, in his customised _Shunshin_ , leaving no trace, only lingering heat.

She shook her head and looked down, unfurling her fingers. In her palm lay a small necklace.

It had three wooden magatama (made of some sort of redish brown wood) conjoined in a circle — something like a Sharingan, but the round edges of the three magatama touched. From the lowest magatama hung a small crescent moon, seemingly made of carftfully broken glass. The colourless broken material did indeed look like some sort of thick glass and inside the moon was something, that coloured it red. The cord was simple black and brown, weaved together in a simple, yet beautiful manner.

And as it lay in her hand, she could feel the the glass-like crescent radiated power. It had a touch of Sasuke’s chakra. Warm and prickly and it seemed to glow with a light of its own. The power that wrapped around her, was comforting and warm, almost like an embrace.

It was beautiful.

Eyes wide and heart hammering, she whirled around, staggering forth to call out, but the group was already moving. She watched them go helplessly. She wanted to speak with him... but he was gone. She sighed and looked down at the necklace, recalling his words. Perhaps... he trully cared?

Smiling a bit, she shifted her grip on the cord and fastened the necklace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is welcome. No flames, please :)


	61. Bolt From the Blue

Sato Hisao was an average, non-descript citizen of Konoha in every sense of the word. An average, non-descript Medic-nin to be exact and he hated it very, very much. Once, he had the chance to be something — to perhaps be a known medic... until the blonde brat came along.

Senju-Uzumaki Naruto walked around the hospital as if he owned the place (he may actually own half the village, but it didn’t make things any better). He was decades younger, than those, who worked here in the hospital, himself included. Yet, that decades younger child, that _brat_ thought he owned the place and Hisao hated him for it. Once, he had the chance to become a leading figure of the Hospital, to make something of his life, for his studies and hard work to pay off before he retired...

But now it was not to be. If only the blonde brat would _get out of the picture_...

He stopped only for a second, in his stroll trough the corridor. That was it. Orochimaru and Kabuto had helped him reach what he had today. And he knew, that the blonde and the Uchiha brat had caused great headache to the Snake Sannin. And he knew, that the Sannin was very much interested in both, due to their Kekkei Genkai... and due to the blonde’s _condition_ , as the Kyūbi’s host.

Wait a second... the Snake Sannin had been gathering information about Konoha and about the boys for a while — until Kabuto had been discovered. Maybe, maybe if he took something to the Sannin, the man would show him something to become better? Besides... if he took information to the man, the Sannin would get rid of the blonde and then, then Hisao could go an climb up again. Maybe, just maybe, he could be recognised for his skills, as a medic.

No, he _would_ be recognised.

Smiling to himself, he glanced around and slipped into the room.

He walked into the corner, where the papers were stacked on a shelf and his gaze lid actoss the letters, stopping at S and U for a second. Then, he started searching.

A few moments later, he found both folders and took them out, flipping open the Senju’s. His eyes scanned the data — nothing interesting. Birthday, blood type, parentage.... heightened healing and four times as dense chakra...

His eyes went wide.

Four times as dense chakra, as an average shinobi. Add the fact that the brat was a Jinchūriki... _‘Is the kid even human?!‘_

Shaking his head, he snapped the folder closed and hid both under his white coat, before slipping out of the room. Now, he would only have to find that brat, who could deliver this to the Snake Sannin. Maybe with this, the Sannin would take him seriously and would believe, that he was indeed a loyal follower.

And then, he might even get a reward...

* * *

**_Border of Clan District:_ **

Naruto huffed, as they entered the Namikaze house — why he thought of the place as such, when it was their _home_ , would be forever a mystery. Perhaps, he guessed, it was nice to think, that once his father — and later both of his parents— had lived here at one point in time. Itachi wasn’t home, out on a mission of his own, so the place was quiet. Only Shiro greeted them with soft barks and Naruto smiled, crouching down to greet the dog.

Sasuke was quiet and broody on all the way back, his attention stubbornly fixed on their ‘assignment‘ as the Hokage’s guard.

“Nī-sama?“ he called.

Sasuke tossed down his gear and stole him a look. “Yes?“

“Did you tell her?“ he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sasuke grunted. “There was nothing to tell, Otōto.”

Naruto crossed his arms. “ _C’mon!_ I’ve seen you going over to her, before we left trough the gate. Didn’t you tell...”

“There was _nothing_ to tell, because there is nothing I feel.“ Sauske growled back.

Naruto twitched, slowly walking over to his brother and laying a hand on his arm. “Why push away everyone, that’s not already part of our family?“ he asked quietly. “Everyone needs _someone_. Don’t lie to me, because you know I can tell, when you do. Why not let her close? For real?”

“It’s safter for us both. Especially her. I don’t want her dragged into this. You can just barely keep Karin in the dark.“ he pulled away and Naruto grabbed at his arm roughly.

”Let me _go_ , Otōto.” Sasuke glared, Sharingan flashing, but he was long used to his brother’s moods, so he didn’t pull his hand away.

“Is it about Shachi?“

Sasuke’s eyes darkened for a minute, before it was gone. “It has nothing to do with Shachi.”

Naruto grunted. “You’re an _awful_ liar. It _is_ about Shachi... after all.“ Sasuke scowled at him and then looked away, “Karui is _not_ Shachi, Nī-sama.”

Sasuke hummed. “She is not. But... I’m still _me_.” came the quiet reply.

For a moment, Naruto was taken aback by those words. What did that have to— oh, _oh!_ His violet eyes went wide. “You didn’t fail her, Nī-sama. Your children grew up fine, no? And your followers grew in strenght, too. Otherwise there wouldn’t have been an Uchiha Clan these days.”

“I failed her.“ Sasuke growled back. “I wasn’t there when she needed me the most. And... if we hand’t fought, you could have been there, to help her... but my jelousy, my pride... it ruined everything. I ruined everything. I don’t want to ruin another woman’s life again like that.”

“Indra...“

Sharingan flashed again. “I failed once. As a partner and as a father. Maybe I failed there even _more_ , than I’d failed you, as a brother. I don’t want it to start all over again. She deserves someone better. And... children... I’d hate myself if... I don’t want to be a father like mine had been.“

Naruto shook his head. “You wouldn’t be.“

Sasuke chuckled bitterly. “Wouldn’t I? I taught my children to _hate_ , even _then_. I failed them. We — I left them nothing but pain and bloodshed.”

Naruto inched closer and hugged him. “Nope. You wouldn’t be. We know what we’ve messed up before. And you were always a wonderful brother. Being an older brother isn’t _too_ different from being a father, is it?“

Sasuke stiffened and then he relaxed hugging him back. “I- I’ll try.“

Naruto chuckled. “I just want to see you happy. Just give her a chance — if she makes you happy, I’ll welcome her to the family gladly.”

“Arigato, Otōto.”

* * *

Sasuke grunted, as they wandered outside the village, towards the forest. Naruto was in a good mood and Sasuke didn’t feel like ruining it. The talk from the morning about Karui still lingered in the back of his mind, but it was just some uneasiness, that was easy to banish with his brother’s sunny mood. Naruto had insisted on some time out in the forest, like when they were kids, just the two of them.

So Sasuke didn’t protest much. He didn’t even remember the last time they’d spent more, than a few hours in each other’s company, enjoyin nature. Ever since he started learning Senjutsu —altough he had a feeling, it would always be Naruto’s preferred field— he felt calmer, closer to nature. It was nice. Easier to keep his mind clear and focus on important things.

But for now, the only important thing was his baby brother. Today was a relax day and he was going to enjoy every minute of it, with only Naruto (and Kurama) for company.

When they reached the spot, which Naruto deemed perfect, Sasuke spread the blanket, while Naruto dropped the storage scroll, that held their food and drink. As he did so, he took a deep breath and then fell onto his back. “I love nature so much.“

Sasuke chuckled, as he sat down on the blanket. “That’s the one thing, that never changes. Now that we’re out here, do you want to grab some herbs? I know you prefer to pick them, rather than grow them yourself.”

Naruto hummed. “Later. Now I just want to stay here and enjoy the sunshine.“ he said, scooting closer. Even before Sasuke could reply, he found the blonde snuggled up close.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “What am I _Asu-chan_ , a pillow?“

Naruto hummed. “Yea. The comfiest pillow of the millenia. Original Ōtsutsuki brand, too.”

Sasuke twitched, just a little. _‘And people wonder how that Senju-Uchiha feud started.... it may have started, when Otō-sama chose Asura... but I think it started, when he’d used me as a pillow for the first time.‘_

* * *

After some lazing around, they decided to train a bit — originally, neither of them had planned for that, but when you were planning to face a goddess in the future, there was no such thing, as being over-preapared. So after a little laziness, they decided to spar. Nothing serious, as they didn’t want to ruin the forest around them... (For a moment, their life was almost perfect. It was like almost when they’d been yonger. Sunny day, warmness and they had each other for company. Food nearby and they were training.)

“Well, well, well look... they’re right here, where we can reach them easily.“ a voice taunted.

They turned around to see who had called and their eyes narrowed, when they found themselves facing the four shinobi, whom they’d encountered briefly while dealing with Shinnō. The four, who’d claimed to be working for Orochimaru.

“ _You_.“ Sasuke snarled, his eyes immediately bleeding into the Sharingan. “You work for Orochimaru.”

“ _Smart_ , aren’t you Uchiha?“ the one with six arms scoffed.

Sasuke twitched and next to him, Naruto released a deep growl worthy of Kurama. “What do you want here?“

The six-armed one grinned widely. “The Kyūbi, of course. Or rather, the Senju. His regeneration abilties interest Orochimaru-sama.”

Sasuke stiffened. _No one_ would get his brother.

What were Orochimaru’s underlings doing here? They hadn’t heard much of the rogue Sannin, after they’d broken into his hideout. Sure, they’d encountered these four in Ancor Vantian, but it was a brief thing and they’d more serious matter to deal with. Right now, Sasuke was regretting having let the four go. They were back and something... there was somehting in the air, that made him feel uneasy.

He took his stance and Naruto did the same. They shared a brief look, as the four took their own stances. So much for quiet sibling time. And they’d really wanted nothing but to relax a bit and have a spar. To enjoy life, just for a moment, as if the weight of the world wasn’t on their shoulders. But of course, a crazy Sannin (or rather, his minions) had to ruin the calm.

 _“What do you say Nī-sama? If they came for me, let’s give them hell, even before they can hope to draw a drop of blood from us.“_ Naruto called trough their mental link

 _“Yeah. We have some unfinished business with the snake anyway....”_ Sasuke smirked and clasped his hand in a Horse seal. **_‘Shiroi Honō: Gōka Mekkyaku!‘_** (White Flames: Great Fire Annihilation)

Naruto’s own jutsu, — a Wind one— collided with his flames, feeding them further, the blaze wide and searing, as it sped towards the four.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter than usual... but meh. Hope it wasn´t too bad, though...


	62. Hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a section in this chapter, which is in Italics. It´s a flashback part.

The brothers’ eyes narrowed, as they watched the jutsu collide with the trees, immediately catching the greenery. Naruto frowned a bit and using some chakra, drew a considerable amount of water from the surroundings to douse the flames, before they burned down the forest. There was a sharp shriek as well and a few minutes later, the four snake underlings appeared again, watching them warily.

The redhead was glaring hatefully, her form drenched to the bone. **“Hah, she deserved that!“** Kurama growled into their minds.

“Not bad...“ spider-guy said, “but we’re better!“ he spit out something, that resembled a spiderweb, right at Naruto. Naruto leapt back to avoid it and with a wave of hand and a spike of chakra, sent a hail of water needles at the two least-human members of the quartett.

**“Fūton: Jūha Reppū Shō!”** (Wind Release: Beast Tearing Gale Palm) Sasuke called, as the currents picked up around him, forming into a massive clawed palm, grabbing for the two other members of the group. The orange-haired one was fast enough to avoid the attack, but the redhead wasn’t so lucky and the sharp wind tore at her.

The one with six arms cursed and sent several weapons at them again. The boys leapt back to be side by side again, eyes narrowed. The four foreigers glared and spat, obviously displeased with the amount of resistance they were showing. There were several spikes of chakra and the brothers watched, as black markings spread trough their opponents’ bodies.

Naruto scowled. _“Those... that’s the same energy, that I felt from that disgusting seal Orochi-teme branded you with.”_

_“I can feel it too.”_ Sasuke answered. _“There’s a jump in their chakra levels.”_

“You won’t be so confident now.“ the two-headed one spat and he appreared in front of Naruto in a burst of speed throwing a punch, which the blonde caught, eyes narrowing.

_“Whatever it is, it ageuments their abilities.”_ he said, pushing the other back.

“Eat _this_!” he growled, slamming a chakra-coated fist into the ground, uprooting several trees and cracking the ground.

Meanwhile, Sasuke grabbed his shakujō from his back, spinning it above him, sending chakra trough it to create a whirlwind.

Naruto, seeing the chance, flashed his hand into a _Tiger_. **“Katon: Enyari!”** (Fire Release: Flame Spear) he called, releasing a blade of fire, which collided with the whirlwind, crearing a vortex of flames.

The four immediately tried getting away and run trough their own seals to counter, but one of them — the one with orange hair was caught by a suddenly appearing chakra chain and was dragged down again. The other three, who escaped, watched with some shock and fear, as their fourth partner burned to death in the fire twister.

**“Tell the _traitor_ ,“ **Naruto growled, using Kurama’s voice, **“that if he wants something from me, he should come himself. We have some unfinished business anyway.”**

**“Raiton:“** Sasuke called, suddenly thursing his shakujō into the already torn-up ground, **“Denki Nagare.“** (Lightning Release: Electrical Flow) purplish lightning surged trough the shakujō and into the ground, tearing it up even more, as it travelled towards the targests.

The three avoided, but the flow, still caught the six-armed one, who roared in pain and stumbled. Their eyes burned with anger and hate.

“We’ll be back!“ hissed the redhead angrily, Killing Intent rolling off of her, not that it bothered them too much, “We’ll be back and then you’ll _pay_ for this!”

They melkted into the shadows and Naruto twitched, looking at his brother. “They obviously knew things about us, that they shouldn’t. If we let them get back to the snake... Shinju knows what that madman will come up with, to get Kurama... or to destroy Konoha.“

Sasuke grunted in annoyance. “What’s your idea?“

Naruto glanced towards the forest. “After them. Get them before they disappear again.“

“Sensei won’t be happy, if we disappear.“ he pointed out matter of factly. They would be looked for and the village might end up panicking, especially if someone came across this destroyed patch of forest. By now, the village was, in a way, used to what they were capable of. (And the funny thing was, that so far, they hadn’t shown off Susanno’o, Sūsenju or Varuna...)

“We can leave her a message.“ Naruto said, running trough the handsigns, **“Kuchiyose: Katsuyu!”** There was a plume of smoke and a cat-sized version of the slug appeared.

Naruto still remembered, when shortly after the formation of his Byakugō, he’d met the slug for the first time, face to face... and outside of a battlefield.

_“So, I suppose you’ve realised, trough reading my scroll, that the Byakugō grants me a special link to Katsuyu.“ his aunt said, as they stood on the Hokage’s private training ground._

_“Hai.“ he nodded, “From what I understand, trough the Seal and the link, you can heal multiple people even at a great distance.”_

_“Exactly. Now, you’ve incredible healing factor, as an Uzumaki and as a Jinchūriki. The Byakugō will help taking those abilities to another level, but working with Katsuyu won’t just be benefical for you, but to your allies as well. But... you’ll have to prove her you’re worthy of being her summoner. Oh and one more thing...“ she said, as he formed the first seal for Summoning._

_“What is it?“ he asked, arching an eyebrow._

_“She’s more of the traditional type... if you understand what I mean... but that shouldn’t be a problem for you. You’re all manners anyway, which is a bit odd, since I know how Kushina was.“ she murmured._

_Naruto chuckled. “I may be like them, in certain ways — Kakashi keeps saying so,— but I was also raised by another man in another era. And things were different then. Plus...“ he shivered a bit, “that disapproving look he gave us — Indra, the Bijū or myslef, it didn’t matter— was **scary**. A whole different level of scary, than what Shikamaru laments about, when he speaks of his mother. So yes, we learned our manners — but it’s a big deal about really respecting others, if they prove worthy of that respect.”_

_Tsunade nodded. “Alright. You can deal with this.“ she looked at the Summoning Contract, which now lay by his feet._

_Naruto smiled and quickly did the signs, slamming his hand on the ground, watching the shikki spread, while also being careful how much chakra to put into the jutsu, remebering what his aunt had said about the slug. **“Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Katsuyu!”**_

_There was a plume of smoke and a horse-sized version of the slug appeared a few feet away. Her eyes immediately found him and he matched her gaze without a twitch. **“Who you might be, to summon me?“**_

_Naruto dipped his head in greeting. “Greetings, Katsuyu-sama. My name is Senju-Uzumaki Naruto.“_

_The summon studied him for a moment._ **“You.“** _she spoke, shock rolling off of her_ , **_“You summoned Ginhidzume of the Deer, when we faced Manda.“_**

_He nodded simply. “I did.”_

**_“Tell me, how does a child like you, know of such an ancient Clan, as the Deer? And the other who fought with you — he summoned Kibagatatsuki. Toad, Wolf and Deer are amongst the oldest Clans, yet young like_ you _, have contracts with them.”_**

_“Myself and Ginhidzume-sama are old allies, you see. And Nī-sama has been allies with the wolves even longer.“ he answered simply._

_The slug leaned closer. **“You’re barely more, than a child and those Clans are among the oldest. Ginhidzume and Kibagatatsuki, one of their oldest. You could not have met them... you should not speak of them, as if you spent decades by their side.“**_

_Naruto’s lips quirked upwards and he flared a chakra. “Should I not? Why? It is the truth.“_

_Katsuyu drew back in shock. “ **T-that chakra! It feels like Hashirama-san’s.“**_

_Naruto hummed. “Of course, it does. For one, he is my great-uncle. And... we’re alike in a lot of things.“ he said, cupping his hands together, before opening them to reveal a flower._

**_“Mokuton! And your chakra... it feels... Powerful. More, than Hashirama’s. Ancient.“_ ** _the slug called in shock, before her eyes landed on him, this type even shaper, than before, **“Who are you, child?“**_

_Naruto smiled, handing the flower to his aunt with a smile. “Senju-Uzuamki Naruto. Son of Senju-Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina-hime. Great-grandson of Senju Tobirama...“ he grinned, “Master of Mokuton. Once, in another life, I was_ _Ōtsutsuki Asura, son of the Rukudō Sennin and the Heir to his teachings. The partner of Ginhidzume, originator of Mokuton. Senju and Uzumaki are of my blood.“_

_The slug stared for a very long moment. **“How is that possible?“**_

_Naruto shrugged. “Reincarnation due to a nasty family feud, due to inheritance with my older brother, Indra. Progenitor of the Uchiha and partner of Kibagatatsuki. But we mde peace now. We’re working towards a better, safer future.”_

**_“The Uchiha you fought with.“_ ** _Katsuyu said after a moment, **“It’s him.”**_

_“Hai. Although he goes by Uchiha Sasuke, these days.” he said with a nonchallant shrug._

_Katsuyu hummed. **“If you found partner in the Deer, why summon me,**_ **_Ōtsutsuki Asura?“_ **

_Naruto’s lips quirked upwards. It’s been a long time, since anyone called him_ that _. The Deer did, but that was normal. Other than his Summons —and occasionally his brother— no one used that ancient name. It was strangely comforting to hear it, even if he was no longer simply Asura._

_“I would ask for your aid in my future endevours, Katsuyu-sama. The Deer are an ancient and wise Clan, but their healing abilities differ from yours. I believe, I and my allies could benefit from your skills, if you would honour me by working together. I believe, that with some trials, I could even combine the old Arts of Ninshū with the modern medicine. That would be of great help to those, I wish to protect.“_

_The slug nodded. **“The honour is mine,**_ **_Ōtsutsuki Asura. Summon me, when you are in need of aid and I shall do everything in my power, to help you, the Deer and your other allies.”_ **

_“Arigato, Katsuyu-sama.”_

_The slug dipped her head towards him in a show of respect, before disappearing in a plume of summon smoke. He cracked his neck and grinned at his aunt._

_“I’m not even surprised, you won her over so fast.” Tsunade said with a shake of her head._

_He just chuckled and shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a natural charmer.” he grinned and in response, she just rolled her eyes._

It had been a short, but fruitful meeting although since then, he’d had no reason to summon her. He nodded to her. “Greetings, Katsuyu-sama.“

The slug’s eyes darted to Sasuke, before returning to him. **“Greetings, Asura-sama. How may I be of assistance?“**

Sasuke raised and eyebrow at him for the slug using the old name, but Naruto decided to explain later. For now, they had to hurry. “Please find Tsunade oba-san and tell her, that we encountered a group of Orochimaru’s followers. One of them is dead and we’ll go after the other three. I believe it’s the best we can do. He has information on us and wants the Kyūbi from me. The best we stop him, before it gets out of hand and he comes up with something to destroy Konoha.”

**“Very well, I will give your message to her. Please, be careful. Orochimaru and Manda are dangerous.“**

Naruto shared a brief look with Sasuke and it was his brother, who answered. “Rest assured, we will be careful. We’ve witnessed more than once, what the man is capable of.”

Katsuyu hummed and then she was gone in a plume of smoke. Once she was gone, they leapt into the forest, following the chakra trail of the three, who fled.

“Since when do you have sensei’s summon, Otōto?“ Sauske asked.

Naruto shrugged. “I signed the Contract not long after I formed my Byakugō. She thought I might benefit from working with her, despite having my own Summons. This way I can exploit the Infūin to its fullest.”

“Ah. That explains it, I suppose.”

* * *

Sasuke stopped, as his brother skidded to a sudden halt, cursing colourfully. He stood next to Naruto and waited, until Naruto’s eyes opened, violet flashing sharply in annoyance.

“I lost them. I can’t believe it, but I _lost_ them.“ he growled.

Sasuke sighed. “Annoying. How can they just disappear from your senses?“

Naruto shook his head, sniffing the air. “I don’t know. I think they figured out I can smell them. Hadn’t sensed their smell for a mile now and then I just followed my Sensory... but now they’re gone. Completely. As if the ground had sallowed them up.”

“And now we’re miles away from Konoha. _Where_ are we, in fact?“

His brother looked around and then glanced at the sky. “We’ve been chasing them for hours now and at great speed. Considering the direction we came, we might be close to Noodle Country.“

Sasuke twitched again. “Wonderful. Now all that treck back to the village...“

“Shouldn’t we go on?“ Naruto asked, nodding further northeast.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. “What’s your idea now?“

“Yagura hadn’t contacted. Means he couldn’t track Utakata and Saiken. We should find them, before Akatsuki does.”

“Naruto. There’s a _freaking_ sea between us and Mizu no Kuni. Plus we know Utataka isn’t anywhere near Kiri. The Country is big and full of islands. How are we supposed to find him?”

“Can’t we try. Just a quick look at the nearby islands, nothing big. It has been so long since we’ve met Nī-sama. I want to know how he’s fairing. Besides, Zetsu and the masked bastard had been in Mizu, last. Maybe they’d left some trail behind?”

Sasuke shook his head. “Zetsu’s too cautious for that.”

“ _Please_.“ No... not _that_ look! Not that look, _not again!_

Sasuke grit his teeth. “Naruto... we hadn’t prepared for a long-term absence from Konoha. No supplies at all and sensei’s going to have our head anyway, for running after the snake’s underlings.”

“It’s about _Saiken_.“ his brother insisted, “Besides, we did say we’ll try locating Zetsu. It’s one thing he comes to you, from time to time, but we need to know where his hideout is. Where _Akatsuki_ is.”

Sasuke grunted. “The things I agree to...” he murmured under his breath, as he followed the blonde towards the general direction of Mizu no Kuni. They were so, _so_ dead, once they met Tsunade again...

* * *

**_Meanwhile, in Konoha:_ **

Tsunade stared disbelievingly at her summon. “They did _what_?”

Katsuyu nodded. **“You heard me right, Tsunade-sama. They decided to follow the three, who worked for Orochimaru.“**

Tsunade opened her mouth to say something when Yamanaka Inochi appeared in the office with a Shunshin. “Hokage-sama.”

She nodded to the Clan Head. “Inochi-san. What brings you here?”

“Some just reported, that they found a part of the forest rather damaged and according to the Sensors of the team, the place was heavy with the signatures of Sasuke and Naruto, but there is no trace of them.”

She sighed and took a large swing of her saké. She was _so_ going to _skin_ both of them, when they came back!

* * *

_**Mizu no Kuni:** _

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed. He hated Mizu no Kuni and all the mist, that seemed to linger around the entire clutch of islands, regardless of location or time. It limited his sight, well normally. At least this was natural mist, not laced with chakra, so if he kept his Sharingan active, he saw trough it. But just out of caution, he kept his Sensory stretched to the fullest, his senses on high alert. They were in a foreign country, looking for a foreign shinobi... (Not to mention, that, despite the new regime and the attempts to set things straight, the plave should _not_ be used, as prime example of a peaceful place.)

... and they had no idea where to start. It had been days since they’d left Konoha behind and honestly, he was surprised there hadn’t been a Konoha batch tailing them to steer them back towards the village. At least, it seemed, their sensei was starting to learn, that they could take care of themselves and that they would do things the way they saw fit, no matter what she did. In fact, the _more_ she tried to get involved, the more pain they woul cause her.

By now, they were on the main isalnd of Mizu, fliding trough the dense, misty forest. Sasuke hated the place. It was wet and so, it was harder to keep his hair in check in the mornings. (Naruto and Kurama, the annoying little shits, even laughed at his misery and Kurama joked he should cut it. Sasuke almost set his brother’s tails aflame at those words. It had taken so long, to grow his hair as it was! And it was still shorter, than he would have liked, but it was getting to where it should be...)

Naruto stopped suddenly, his body tense, eyes narrowed into slits. He looked like a dog, who’d caught the prey’s scent.

“I have him. Utakata.” Naruto whispered, violet eyes bleeding into crimson.

Sasuke hummed, a small smile playing in the corner of his lips. “Lead the way, then.” Naruto leapt forwards and Sasuke followed as silently, as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Map is not mine, but this is what I use for referance, when it cames to places.  
> https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/naruto-world-rp/images/f/fe/World-map.png/revision/latest?cb=20170123091044
> 
> As always, please leave comments and tell me what you think :3


	63. Shabondama no Utakata (+ omake)

The moment they saw him, from across the dewy clearing, Naruto knew it was _him_.

 _Shabondama no Utakata_ , Utakata of the Soap Bubbles, as the Kiri Bingo Book had recorded him. Jinchūriki of the Rokubi no Namekuji.

Utakata was a tall individual with pale skin and long, dark brown hair, his bangs covering his left eye. He wore a blue kimono, fastened with an orange sash, yet hanging low on his upper body, exposing his chest. The moment their gazes met, the man’s eyes narrowed. Even from here, he could feel the distrust and wariness radiating off of the man.

He approached slowly and the man’s stance shifted. It was such a subtle move, that had he been less experienced, than he was, he would not have noticed. A stance, that was good for defence and retreat as well.

“Greetings.” he nodded.

Utakata’s face remained guarded and unfriendly. “You’re far from your home. What business does a _Konoha_ shinobi have here?”

“Relax.“ he called in a low tone, subtly releasing a little chakra. The man wouldn’t notice immediately, but it would be enough for Saiken to pick up on. “I’m here as a friend.”

The other frowned. “I’ve no friends.” he growled lowly.

Naruto arched an eyebrow. “No? Come now, as Jinchūriki to Jinchūriki... _Roku_.“ he said, extending a hand, “We should stick together.”

Utakata’s eyes narrowed for a long moment and then wariness flashed in his gaze. “Kyū...“

“I’m not here to harm you, Utakata-san. I merely wish to speak.”

“ _How_ do you know my name?” the former Kiri-nin asked, shifting farther from him.

Naruto dropped his hand and sighed. “Yagura-san told me. I met him, you know. Kiri’s safe again. Yagura was under the control of another shinobi. A shinobi, who’s responsible for Kyūbi’s rampage trough my village so many years ago. That man seeks the Bijū to cause destruction. Please, be careful.”

Utakata studied him for a very, very long moment, eyes narrowed and suspicious. “ _Who_ are you?”

“Senju-Uzumaki Naruto. A pleasure to meet you.”

Utakata took a step back and Naruto raised his hands in a peaceful gesture. “I’m _not_ here to harm you. I’m trying to be civil. We’re both Jinchūriki and as such, I believe I owe you a warning. Be wary of men, who wear black capes with red clouds on them. They’re _Akatsuki_ — led by the man, who controlled the Mizukage. They want the Bijū, for destruction.”

“You... I’ve heard the rumours. You stopped the Sanbi...”

Naruto nodded slowly. “With my brother’s help, yes. But it was as much for Kiri, as much it was for Yagura’s sake.“

Utataka sighed, easing up, just a little. He gave a small nod. “Utakata. Kawaguchi Utakata.” he took his hand.

Using the physical contact, Naruto cast the Genjutsu. (Being a medic was good, since it meant good chakra control, which enabled the use of simpler Genjutsu.) Most of the time it was Sasuke, who did this, but his brother was still elsewhere. He had to make due with what he had — besides, his chakra was unique enough. Saiken surely recognised it...

As they blinked, they landed in Saiken’s seal and the Kiri-nin tensed up, tearing his hand away. “W- _what_ did you do?”

“Calm down, I merely wish to speak with Saiken.“

The pale-golden eyes went wide. “How do you know his name?“

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, a faint satisfied smile appearing on his face. “So he told you. Nice.”

He walked deeper into the seal, unbothered, while Utakata followed him, wary and unsure. After a few minutes, they reached the deepest part of the seal, which seemed to be a big, frozen lake, great chains rose from the ice and wrapped around his slug brother.

 **“Asura...“** Saiken called in shock, **“Is that truly you?”**

Naruto smiled a little at seeing his older brother and then bowed. “Nī-sama. A pleasure to see you again.”

 **“But... how? You died, Indra’s sword... but you’re _here_. You’re you and yet... you aren’t.“** the great slug mused, a bit confued.

Naruto sighed softly. “Reincarnation, Nī-sama. We’re here to correct our mistakes. Indra’s back to his old self. We’re working together, as Otō-sama would have wished for it, back _then_. We wish to help humanity, as he had taught us.”

 **“ _Help_ them?“** Saiken asked a bit skeptically, **“When they treat us like _monsters_? I actually came to like Utakata here... but they treat him just as badly, as the people treated me, before I was sealed. And while I was sealed in others.”**

Naruto sighed, saddened by his words. But he knew they were true. He still remembered the glares, isolation and whispers, that filled his childhood. He remembered the old man’s look — how he looked at him suspiciously despite knowing he posessed Mokuton and was a Senju, related to four Hokage. He dreaded to think how life was for his fellow Jinchūriki (and their Bijū), who didn’t have people who cared, the way he had Indra, Kakashi and the other ANBU.

“Hate is no answer to hate, Nī-sama. You know that.“ he spoke softly, taking a few steps closer, “You’re not alone. You still have the others. You hate Utakata. And we’re here too.“

 **“I haven’t spoken to the others in a very... long time.“** Saiken addmitted.

 **“Well then, maybe if would be time to start speaking with the rest of us _again_ , Otōto.“** a new voice called from behind. Naruto smiled as he heard Kurama appear.

Utakata stiffened, looking at the fox with fear, but Naruto made a small gesture at the Kiri-nin. “Don’t worry. He won’t do anything.”

 **“Kurama.”** the slug called a little hesitation in his tone.

The fox huffed, settling comfortably. **“Saiken.“**

Naruto turned to Utakata then. “I feel hate from you too.“ he spoke quietly, “Trust me, I know what it’s like to be hated.”

Utakata snorted. “ _Do_ you? The mighty Senju! Your village probably kisses the ground you walk on, you _Heir of Hokage_.“ he bit out sharply.

Naruto shook his head. “It hadn’t always been like that. Before I caught a traitor, before my Mokuton mainfested... I know what you feel. They hated me. They hurt me. In the best of cases, they ignored my existance.“ he walked closer to the Kiri nin, “But I had just one person. Just one friend and he kept me from drowning in dark bitterness. But you don’t have to be alone.“

Utakata frowned. “Don’t I? They fear me and hate me. They _hunt_ me and want me to go back to that bloody place.”

Naruto sighed and as he took another few steps closer, his hand wrapped around the older’s arm. “Yagura was not himself. He had been controlled. but now a new Mizukage rules. Go back — it will be safer for you. If Saiken is extracted, you’ll die.“

“Why do you even _care_?“

“Because we’re kin.“ Naruto answered simply. “We’re family and you’re _not_ alone.“ he gave the man a pointed look and then turned to Saiken. “We’re all a family and family stick up for each other, no matter what.”

“ _Family_?“ the Kiri shinobi echoed with a raised eyebrow, the shadow of contempt flashing in his eyes.

Naruto ignored the darkness of his gaze and nodded. “Aye. The Bijū are my siblings. That makes their Jinchūriki my family too.”

“How could _the Bijū_ be your family?” Naruto grinned foxily, having expected the question, sooner or later. The man’s eyes flickered to his six-tailed brother. “And how do you _know_ his name?“

“Well, you see... as I said, it involves reincarnation. Once, long ago I was called Ōtsutsuki Asura and my father was...”

* * *

After their camp was set and he’d found nothing out of the ordinary around, Sasuke stretched his senses looking for his brother. Naruto was away for way too long. Surely, he hadn’t gone looking for Saiken already? They’d promised to come back here and his brother wasn’t one to break a promise...

Sped towards the general direction, where Naruto had gone off and after a good ten minutes — by the time which he was starting to get worried, since he couldn’t sense the powerful, lively presence anywhere...

 **“Indra.”** Kurama called, the presence in his mind so sudden and unexpected, that he stumbled a bit and he had to grab the nearest branch to stop himself from falling.

 _“Yes, Nī-sama?“_ he called back, trying to keep his voice steady. No... he had _not_ almost broken his leg... this hadn’t happened.

**“We found them, can you follow my presence?“**

Sasuke closed his eyes, still clutching the tree for dear life, as he tried pinpointing where Naruto and Kurama... there. Dense chakra with Kurama’s signature. The other one was foreign, but he could sense Saiken’s energy mixing into it. _“Found you. On my way.“_ he said, changing directions towards west.

**“We’re waiting, Otōto.”**

After several minutes and half a swamp away, he found them, standing in the middle of a clearing. He immediately spotted Naruto and next to him stood a tall, brown-haired stranger. He soundlessly dropped onto the ground and walked closer.

The stranger —Utakata— had long brown hair, pale golden eyes and he was a few years their senior. That kimono looked comfortable, but it was an odd choice for a shinobi, with how long and loose it was. On Utakata’s shoulder rested a tiny form of Saiken

Naruto beamed at him and waved. “Indra-nī! About time.” He chuckled and rolled his eyes at his brother. “Come meet him. Utakata-san, this is my brother, Indra. Altough these days he goes by Uchiha Sasuke. Nī-sama, this is Kawaguchi Utakata.”

He stopped and nodded to the Kiri shinobi. “A pleasure to meet, Kawaguchi-san.“ the Kiri shinobi nodded back and then his eyes then settled on Saiken.

 **“Indra.“** he called sharply.

Sasuke winced a bit inwardly and bowed to the Bijū. “Nī-sama.“ he spoke quietly, “A pleasure to see you once more.”

Saiken’s tails twitched a bit. **“Words, that I have a hard time believing, after all the suffering you brought. To go so far, as to burn the place you were born...”** he said, his voice even more high-pitched, now that he was so small, than usually.

“I’m aware of the mistakes I made, but this time we’re working with Asura...“ he threw a look at Naruto — the mention of the Ōtsutsuki Compound’s burning, like a katana to the heart,— with a tiny smile and his brother smiled right back, “to correct them.“ he said, his gaze returning to Saiken. “I can only apologise, as the past cannot be changed and hope, that you may one day forgive me.”

**“You know... your careless, jelous ways caused us suffering. And I remember how we found Asura-kun, lifeless, your sword burried in his side.”**

Ouch. That reminder might just give him nightmares tonight.

“ _Saiken!_ ” Naruto called sharply, “We’ve made up. Yes, he had made mistakes, but so had the rest of us. Time to let go of the old wounds and act like family once more.”

The slug seemed cowed for a moment before he sighed. Their gazes met once more. **“Gomen, Indra.“**

Sasuke smiled just a tiny bit, walking closer. “I understand that it may take time for you to trust me once more... but, I just ask for the chance to prove it. Allow me to prove I’ve changed.” he extended a hand towards Saiken, his fingers briefly brushing against Utakata’s shoulder, who tensed a bit. Saiken studied his face for a moment, before slowly making his way over to his hand.

When the miniaturised Bijū’s whole weight was on his hand, he slowly drew back from Utakata and carefully brought the other close to his chest, almost like a hug, his face briefly brushing against the other’s head. Saiken, to his shock, reutrned the gesture, turning his cheek evene wetter.

 **“You’ve really changed.“** he remarked, voice surprised, yet pleased at the same time.

“I’m trying.“ he admitted, “Doesn’t always work, but I’m trying.” Saiken hummed and pressed just a tiny bit closer to him, much to his surprise. Then, he looked up at Utakata, making a gesture towards where he came from. “Would you care to join us, Kawaguchi-san? Our camp’s not far from here. We can share food and fire.”

Utakata eyed him for a moment, his gaze jumping curiously between him and the tiny Saiken, before his eyes flickered over to Naruto as well, as if expecting denial from him. Instead, his baby brother flashed a warm, welcoming smile at the Kiri shinobi.

Sasuke saw the other relax a bit, but his eyes still had an edge, as his gaze jumped between him and Naruto. As if they were some puzzle he didn’t understand and thus, couldn’t solve. Then, he dipped his head. “I’d be honoured, Indra-sama.“

Sasuke flashed the other a small smirk. “We’re family, no need to be so formal. The Bijū are our siblings and that makes their Jinchūriki our family, too.“

* * *

So, not long after, they sat around a fire, with Saiken and Kurama curled next to each other, in small shade forms. Their food was some fried fish, seasoned thanks to Naruto and some fruits, which Utakata had found somewhere near and said it was specifically native to this part of Mizu no Kuni. The odd fruit had a pleasantly sweet-sour taste and it tasted even better, roasted over the fire he’d lit.

“Who’s this man you mentioned before, Asura?“ Utakata asked, as he nibbled on some leftover fish, “The one who’s responsible for the bloodshed in Kiri.”

“Someone dangerous. Better for you not to know his name. Your safety comes first.“ Naruto shook his head, “He calls himself Tobi and is a rogue Uchiha. His Sharingan was powerful enough to extract and control Kurama from my mother’s seal on the night of my birth. He’s dangerous and he works with Uchiha Madara.”

Utakata raised an eyebrow. “That man is _dead_.”

“Uchiha have a Kinjutsu.“ Sasuke spoke up, drawing both Utakata’s and Saiken’s attention to himself, “A Genjutsu, that is capable of rewriting reality. It turns past events, within a certain time frame into illusion. Madara activated it. He lost an eye, as a cost, but was able to rewrite the event of his death. The world believed him dead after the fight in the Shūmatsu no Tani...“ his voice dropped, “but he’d lived. And started _Akatsuki_. Now him and his disciple, that masked man, want the destruction of the world, by using our Bijū siblings’ power.”

 **“And what does he plan to _do_?“** Saiken asked, snorting derisively. **“No spawn of your blood would have enough power now, to control all nine of us at once. Maybe _you_ could have done it, as an ****Ōtsutsuki, but not him. Your blood is no longer strong in them after all this time, despite having your eyes.”**

“That is true.“ Naruto said, “But... the one who’s manipulated Nī-sama into turning against me... he lurks in the shadows. He sought Madara and told him of the Shinju. Madara wishes for _Mugen Tsukuyomi_ to glare down on the world once more and your chakra would be its catalist.”

Saiken stiffened. “ **How... NO!”**

Utakata raised an eyebrow, looking at them. “Mugen Tsukuyomi? What is that?“

Sasuke frowned. “The ultimate Genjutsu. One, that would turn every living being into a mindless slave of the caster. It would bring the end of the world, as we know it today. It would end all life.“

The Jinchūriki paled and choked. “That... that... _no_...“

Naruto sighed. “That’s why we have to stop him. It’s mine and Indra’s responsiblity to stop him — our actions landed the world in such a mess. But... we hope that perhaps you could help us. At least by resisting Akatsuki. Don’t allow them to capture and extract Saiken.”

Jinchūriki and Bijū shared a look, then the older looked back at them. “I won’t allow it to happen.“

Naruto smiled widely. “Never forget you’re _not_ alone. We care — your life matters. And I’m sure you would find nice company with the other Jinchūriki as well. Akatsuki are dangerous. If you’d like, we could stick around for a bit, to spar with you. And maybe you and Saiken could practice too, to work together better?“

Saiken hummed. **“It’s about survival... and I don’t feel like turning into a tree. Let’s do it.”**

Naruto nodded. “How much of your chakra can he handle, Nī-sama?“

Saiken looked toughtful for a moment. **“There are times when he loses his temper and drags on the darker parts of my chakra, the one from my angry days. It’s not good. And he doesn’t have complete control of a complete transformation either — it’s fine though... up till four tails. Maybe even five, if he was rested and really calm beforehand.”**

Naurto smiled and looked at his fellow Jinchūriki. “How about I help you work with Saiken? In complete sync. No more loss of control. No harm done to you or him.”

“Wouldn’t the chakra be felt in a wide range? I’m a Missing-nin and Hunters are looking for me. All that chakra would draw them here.”

Sasuke smirked. “Otōto’s a master of seals and he’s in posession of Mokuton. Both of which are capable of supressing, negating and hiding our siblings’ enormous chakra presence. And he’s a master of Suiton too, so he can teach you some more, as well. And now that Kiri is getting a bit more orgaised, maybe we could do something about your status as well. It would be saffer for you, inside the village than out here, without any sort of help, other than Nī-sama.”

Utataka’s eyes went wide and then he looked at Naruto. Naruto tilted his head to the side, smiling. “That is, if you don’t have a problem learning from someone younger, than you.“

Utakata snorted. “Younger my ass. You two are hundreds of years older.“

 **“Thousands, actually.“** Saiken piped up happily, which caused both Naruto and Sasuke to glare at him.

* * *

**_Meanwhile in Konoha:_ **

Itachi paced the Hokage’s office restlessly. Both of his little brothers were gone for days now and there was no word of them. He was starting to worry — reincarnated sons of the Sage or not, they were his little brothers and he was responsible for their wellbeing. It was hard to make sure they were okay, if they weren’t even where he could see them. Hell, he didn’t even know, where they currently were.

“Aren’t there any traces left beind?“ the Hokage asked with some worry in her tone.

Since the boys had left days ago their absence was getting worrisome altough the Hokage refused to raise the alarm, sicne they had left (recklessly) on their own and hadn’t been kidnapped. And thus, searching for them was his and Kakashi’s duty now, as they both had Summons just perfect for such things.

“None at all, Hokage-sama.“ Kakashi said with a sigh, “My dogs had come back empty-handed... empty-pawed? Whatever.“

Despite the dire situation, Itachi’s lips curled upwards at the joke and Tsunade’s eyes glinted too. Then, her eyes turned to him. “Itachi?”

Itachi frowned and stopped his pacing and gave the woman a sharp look. “Do I seem like I found them?“

“No.“ she addmitted.

Itachi sighed, rubbing his face. “Forgive me, Hokage-sama. I spoke out of turn. My crows hadn’t found anything.”

Tsunade grunted and took a large swing of her saké. (He had never been the kind to drink, but now he wished he wasn’t on duty. He would have liked that saké so bad...) “Think nothing of it. We’re all worried and I understand that.”

“I’m going to skin them, when we find them.“ Kakashi grunted.

“Agreed.“ him and the Hokage said at once, as they continoued the worried pacing and Tsunade took another glup of alcohol.

* * *

Naruto shook his head. “No, no. You’ve to balance out the chakra and then draw it back in. If you do so, it will draw in the moisture from the air as well.” he said.

Utakata groaned. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

Naruto laughed and flared his chakra, dawing a ball of water into his hand. “See? Like this. It’s what my great-grandfather, Senju Tobirama was famous for.”

Utakata blinked owlishly. “And... you think I could do this?”

He smiled. “Yes. You have strong enough Suiton affinity and Saiken’s chakra strenghtens your own. With a bit more practice it can be done and if your Bubble Art fails... air will always be around you, to draw water from, which you can use as you need.”

The older shinobi’s eyes steeled. “Then, let’s do it...“ and then he settled into a meditative position again.

* * *

They’d spent the week with Saiken and Utakata, teaching them to work together, teaching the Jinchūriki about Ninshū and helping him train. (Meanwhile, clones went everywhere in vicinity, looking for Zetsu, to no avail. Slippery bastard, worse than Orochimaru.) It was not perfect, but he knew the basics, which he’d be able to refine with Saiken’s help in the future. Besides, if needed, they could form a mental connection later and help further training. The Akatsuki would _not_ get to their family so easily, if they had anything to say about it.

Naruto smiled, pressing the small wooden charm, engraved with seals, into their newest brother’s hand. “Keep this with you. It will help us track you, if there is trouble. Channel some chakra into it and I will feel the signal. If you give the signal, we’ll know you’re in trouble and in immedite need of help.”

Utakata smiled, his long fingers curling around the small trinket. “Arigato, Asura.“ his eyes flickered over to Sasuke, “Indra.”

Sasuke hummed. “We’re kin. Family sticks together, no matter what. You can count on us. We’ll help, when we can.”

The Kiri-nin nodded. “Arigato. Safe journey.“

“Same to you. And give our greetings to Yagura, if you meet him.“

“I will.”

* * *

After the long travel, they were quiet spent, as they shuffled trough the village gates. The guards on duty — Izumo and Kotetsu— gave them curious looks, but they’d wisely remained quiet, after having a quick look at their identification papers. They were tired to the bone and wanted nothing, than a big bowl of warm food and a bed, but they knew it was risky.

The fact, that they’d left without permission —and then disappeared for more, than a week,— was bad enough. If they didn’t report their return, Tsunade might just kill them, when she found out. (Which was not a nice possibility, because then, no one would be around to stop Madara and their crazy grandmother.)

As they shuffled into the Hokage Tower, half-dead on their feet, the passing shinobi gave them odd and worried looks. As Midori-san looked at them, she opened her mouth probably to say the Hokage was busy, but then she just took a better look and waved at the antic door.

“Go in.“ she murmured.

Naruto grunted in thanks, too tired to speak, no matter how rude that was. He opened the door and they walked in. Itachi was also there.

“We’re back, sensei.“ Sasuke murmured, voice slurring with sleepiness. “Hello, Onī-san.”

“Sasuke, Naruto! Where you’ve been?!“ their sensei demanded, as both older shinobi leapt to their feet, hugging them and checking them over with sharp eyes.

“We’re fine.“ Naruto said, batting away the woman’s insistent hands, “Just tired a bit. Some food and sleep and we’ll be okay.”

“Where you’ve been?“ Itachi asked, “We were worried Orochimaru might have...”

“We lost his mens’ trail hours after we started chasing.“ Sasuke said dismissively, “We visited Mizu no Kuni, since we were close to the border — or the sea— anyway. We tracked the Rokubi’s host. Warned him about Akatsuki.”

“Reckless idiots!” their sensei grunted, whacking them both upside the head, before hugging them for a bit. “Go home and rest. You look like dead men walking.”

“We feel like that, too.“ Naruto agreed, as he yawned.

Itachi rolled his eyes and grabbed their shoulders. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”

“And I’ll tell Kakashi to call back his Ninken.“ Tsunade said, before the Shunshin took them from the office. Despite their tiredness, they felt some satisfaction. They hadn’t caught the snake and his men, but they’d found a Jinchūriki and their family had grown with yet another member. It was something to celebrate.

* * *

**~OMAKE~**

_(Alternate scene)_

_ Homecoming _

_As the door closed behind them, they noticed, that Tsunade wasn’t the only one there. Itachi was also there and he seemed... worried? Why would he be worried? They’d left a message with Katsuyu._

_“We’re back, sensei.“ Sasuke drawled tiredly, stealing a fond glance at his brother, “Hello, Onī-san.”_

_“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR A WEEK?! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED WE WERE?! WE THOUGHT OROCHIMARU MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN YOU!” she shouted, slamming her hand on the desk so hard, that it cracked. (Damn it, that was Mokuton-made... how did she... and all the work it would take to repair it... despair, pure despair and suffering.)_

_Both boys winced at the volume and they rubbed their ears. Naruto looked at her sheepishly. “Sorry, Oba-san... you see I thought we could go looking for Rokubi, since we wre near Mizu’s border, after chasing Orochi-teme’s men. They attacked us, so we went after them...”_

_“And then we went to look for Rokubi, because we couldn’t contact him and his host for a while now and we were worried. Yagura-san had failed contacting them too... so...“ Sasuke said with a shrug, “We found them eventually and helped them. Spent some time there to help them train.“_

_“And we took Utakata back to Kiri, too.“ Naruto said with a smile, “He’ll be safter this way.“ he said proudly, forgetting about the suffering and despair that the desk repairing would mean._

_Both Itachi’s and Tsunade’s eyes darkened, flashing very, very dangerously. What was with them? They should be happy, that another Jinchūriki was accounted for._

_Tsunade and Itachi shared a look and as they looked back at them, the brothers shivered._

_“You’re grounded!” came their voices._

_The boys blinked once. Twice._

_“NANI?!” they shouted idigniantly, “ **Grounded?!** But Nī-san/Oba-san we aren’t kids anymore!” they said at once, “We’re grown shinobi!”_

_“Then you should act like shinobi and not as children.“ Itachi said, crossing his arms. “You acted like children, so you get treated like children. So yes, you’re grounded.”_

_“For two weeks.“ Tsunade added in a hard tone, “No leaving the house or the backyard. No training of any sort. You can’t meet your friends either.”_

_“But...!” they started._

_Itachi’s eyes flashed with the Sharingan in a treathening manner, “A word and it will be **three** weeks.”_

_Both of the boys crossed their arms, glaring at their family members, but neither of them twitched. Then, Itachi moved from his spot and grabbed them by the collars of their clothes. “N-Nani! Nī-san!” Sasuke flailed, trying to grab for Itachi’s hand, but the older Uchiha tripped him, making him stagger and fight for balance._

_“Time to go home, children.“ he said. One of the ANBU appeared, snickering a bit and opened the door, “This will teach you not to be reckless. And since you’re both grounded and can’t train or meet the others, you might as well whip the manor into tip-top shape. I want everything to be shiny and you’ll have to cook for the next two weeks, as well.”_

**_“WHAT?!”_ ** _they shrieked, while tears of suffering and embarrasment streamed down their faces._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, just to avoid another similar situation, as with Karui. Here, I gave Utakata a random family/clan name.  
> KAWAGUCHI (川口 ): Means "mouth of the river", from Japanese 川 (kawa) meaning "river, stream" and 口 (kuchi) meaning "mouth, entrance".
> 
> As always, please leave comments and share your thoughts.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [All these voices in my head](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26475235) by [purplesmiles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplesmiles/pseuds/purplesmiles)




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